M
The Board of Trustees recognizes its responsibility to identify gifted and talented pupils within the school and to provide these pupils appropriate instruction and services. To that end, the Board directs each such pupil in the school be identified and that their personal education plans reflect appropriately challenging objectives.
For purposes of this policy, gifted and talented pupils will be defined as pupils who possess or demonstrate high levels of abilities, in one or more content areas, when compared to their chronological peers in the school and who require appropriately differentiated instruction if they are to achieve in accordance with their capabilities.
For the purpose of this Policy, “instructional adaptation” means an adjustment or modification to instruction enabling a student who is gifted and talented to participate in, benefit from, and demonstrate knowledge and application of the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in one or more content areas at the instructional level of the student, not just the student’s grade level.
The Education Director or designee shall ensure that the appropriate instructional adaptations are designed for students who are gifted and talented.
The Education Director or designee will develop procedures for an ongoing Kindergarten through grade eight identification process for gifted and talented students that includes multiple measures in order to identify student strengths in intellectual ability, creativity, or a specific academic area. The district shall ensure equal access to a continuum of gifted and talented education services. The identification process shall include consideration of all students, including those who are English language learners and those with Individualized Education Plans or 504 Plans.
The Education Director or designee will develop and document appropriate curricular and instructional modifications used for gifted and talented students indicating content, process, products, and learning environments, and including, but not limited to, additional education activities such as academic competitions, guest speakers, and lessons with a specialist.
The Education Director or designee will take into consideration the Gifted Programming Standards, Position Statements, and White Papers of the National Association for Gifted Children in identifying and serving gifted and talented students.
The district will provide the time and resources to develop, review, and enhance instructional tools with modifications for helping gifted and talented students acquire and demonstrate mastery of the required knowledge and skills specified by the standards at the instructional level of the student.
The district will actively assist and support professional development for teachers, educational services staff, and school leaders in the area of gifted and talented instruction.
The district shall file with the New Jersey Department of Education Coordinator for Gifted and Talented Services a report by October 1, 2020 and thereafter on a schedule that coincides with the school district’s New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum (QSAC) review pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:7A-11. The report shall include, but not be limited to, the gifted and talented continuum of services, policies, and procedures implemented in the school district; the total number of students receiving gifted and talented services in each grade level Kindergarten through grade twelve disaggregated by race, gender, special education designation, and English language learner designation; the professional development opportunities provided for teachers, educational services staff, and school leaders about gifted and talented students, their needs, and educational development; and the number of staff employed by the school district whose job responsibilities include identification of and providing services to gifted and talented students. Programs for gifted and talented students will be periodically evaluated for their continuing efficacy and adjusted accordingly.
The parent of any student identified as gifted or talented shall be consulted regarding any program designed to address the student’s particular needs.
An individual who believes that the district has not complied with the provisions of N.J.S.A. 18A:35-34 et seq. may file a complaint with the Board of Trustees. This policy for filing a complaint shall be linked to the homepage of the Board’s Internet website. The Board shall issue a decision, in writing, to affirm, reject, or modify the district’s action in the matter. The individual may then file a petition of appeal of the Board’s written decision to the Commissioner of Education through the Office of Controversies and Disputes in accordance with N.J.S.A. 18A:6-9 and the procedures set forth in State Board of Education regulations.
The district shall make detailed information available on its website regarding the policies and procedures used to identify students as gifted and talented and the continuum of services offered to gifted and talented students. The information shall include the criteria used for consideration for eligibility for the gifted and talented services, including the multiple measures used in the identification process to match a student’s needs with services, and any applicable timelines in the identification process.
N.J.S.A. 18A:61A-2; 18A:35-4.16; 18A:35-34 through 39
N.J.A.C. 6A:8-1.3; 6A:8-3.1(a)5
P.L. 108-382, Sec. 10201 et seq.
Adopted: 18 August 2011