Translate Gifted and Talented Education
Categories for Identification
In order to conform to Buffalo School District's Gifted and Talented Education Policy, students who demonstrate exceptional characteristics, academic performance, or talent are assessed and provided placement in the GATE program. In all of the following categories, identification of a student's extraordinary capability shall be in relation to the student's chronological peers.
Intellectual Ability
A student demonstrates extraordinary or potential for extraordinary intellectual development.
High Achievement
A student consistently produces advanced ideas and products and/or attains exceptionally high scores on achievement tests.
Specific Academic Achievement
A student functions at highly advanced academic levels in particular subject areas.
Visual and Performing Arts
A student originates, performs, produces, or responds at extraordinarily high levels in the arts.
INTELLECTUAL IDENTIFICATION
All district second graders are given the opportunity to test for Intellectual identification when a parent signs and submits a Permission to Test form. A testing calendar is developed by the district Psychologist who administers the test at individual school sites. Students in grades other than second grade are tested twice a year.
Assessment
Students who are intellectually identified demonstrate superior performance on tests administered by a district psychologist.
Students who are intellectually identified demonstrate superior performance on tests administered by a district psychologist.
1. Raven Standard Progressive Matrices
- Non-verbal
- Score in the 95th percentile and above or a standard score of 125 or above.
- Administered as a group0 test to all second graders whose parents sign a permission to test form.
- Verbal/Non-verbal
- Standard score of 125 or above
- Administered as an individual test "Only administered as a result of an Appeal
3. Stanford Binet
- Verbal/Non-verbal
- Standard score of 125 or above
- Administered as an individual test "Only administered as a result of an Appeal
Referral
Any student in the Moreno Valley Unified School district may be referred for screening for testing by a teacher, a counselor, a parent, or through student self-referral.
Teachers complete a Teacher Indicator of Performance (TIP) Survey which includes:
- Report card grades of B or above for the last two consecutive semesters or trimesters or
- A 3.0 grade point average (GPA) or above for the last two consecutive semesters or trimesters.
- Performance Inhibitors that contribute to a student's underachievement.
- Scores on a standardized achievement test for the last two consecutive years.
- Report card grades of B or above or grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or above for the last two consecutive semesters or trimesters.
High school students contact the school counselor or the GATE Department for self-referral.
High Achievement
The Department of Accountability and Assessment reviews Advanced scores in both language arts and mathematics on the California Standards Test annually to identify students academically. Scores are matched with grades for identification.
Assessment
Students who are identified for high academic achievement consistently produce advanced ideas and products and attain exceptionally high scores on achievement tests. Results of standardized tests administered by the district in two areas tested for two consecutive years are used for identification.
- Verbal and mathematical
- Areas tested: reading, language arts, and mathematics
- Score in the advanced level for two consecutive years in both language arts and mathematics
- Report card grades of B or above for the last two consecutive semesters or trimesters or
- A 3.0 grade point average(GPA) or above for the last two consecutive semesters or trimesters.
Specific Academic Ability
The Department of Accountability and Assessment reviews Advanced scores language arts or mathematics on the California Standards Test annually to identify students academically. Scores are matched with grades for identification.
Assessment
Students who are identified for specific academic ability function at highly advanced academic levels in particular subject areas. Test results on standardized tests administered by the district in one of the areas tested for two consecutive years are used for identification.
- Verbal and mathematical
- Areas tested: reading, language arts, and mathematics
- Score in the advanced level for two consecutive years in both language arts and mathematics
- Report card grades of B or above for the last two consecutive semesters or trimesters or
- A 3.0 grade point average(GPA) or above for the last two consecutive semesters or trimesters.
Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA)
VAPA auditions for potential talented students in the visual and performing arts are held once a year.
Students who are identified for talent in the visual and performing arts score at extraordinarily high levels in the arts based on area-specific criteria in an audition or demonstration before a panel of judges. Areas of focus include dance, theatre arts, vocal music, instrumental music, and visual arts.
- Standardized criteria are used for each of the visual and performing arts.
- Score ana verage of 4 on a 5 point scale.
- Dance students perform a dance routine learned as part of the audition.
- Vocal music students sing two songs.
- Instrumental music students play two pieces of music.
- Visual arts student submit a portfolio and create a piece of art in a demonstration.
Referral
Any student in the Moreno Valley Unified School district may participate in auditions. All district parents receive information about auditions through school teachers.
Teachers may also complete a Teacher Indicator of Performance (TIP) Survey for VAPA which includes characteristics from the Renzulli Checklist:
- General Behavioral Characteristics (all students)
- Area-specific characteristics