Kindergarten Gifted and Talented Screening Overview 2019-2020

1. KindergartenGifted and TalentedScreeningOverview2019-2020 www.wolmanchallenge.weebly.com

2. District Kinder GT Awareness SessionsOctober 1, 2019 Legacy Field House10 am, 1 pm & 7pm

3. Katy ISD Kindergarten GT Service • Pull-out program for 60 minutes a week of GT service in the Challenge classroom • Begins the last week in February • Beginning in 1st grade, identified students are pulled out for one full day a week

4. How are students identified? • Districts are required to collect multiple indicators from various sources. • The indicators must include both qualitative data (such as observations and checklists) and quantitative data (such as standardized tests).

5. Katy ISD Screening Instruments Two qualitative measures: • Parent Checklist • Classroom Observation Up to four quantitative measures: • Ability Test • Achievement Test (counts as 2) • Intelligence Test

6. Absences During Screening Windows If your child is absent on the day that the proctor gives a screening test, your child will be able to make up the test after he or she has returned to school.

7. Kindergarten GT Packets • All parents of Kindergarten students will receive a packet of information regarding gifted and talented screening. • This packet will be sent home in take home folders the week of September 9, 2019. • This packet includes a Kindergarten Parent Checklist. • You may also print a checklist at: www.wolmanchallenge.weebly.com/screening • Make sure you print the parent checklist for KINDERGARTEN

8. Phase 1 Screening – All Referred Students • Parent Checklist • Due October 4, 2019 • No late checklists accepted. • Classroom Observation • Nonverbal Ability Test • Parents will receive a notification from their child’s homeroom teacher of a “testing window” of approximately 2 weeks sometime in October or November.

9. Phase 1 Standardized Test • Ability Testing • A nonverbal measure of ability • Does not require reading ability nor English proficiency • Scored by chronological age

10. Phase I Notification • Students who do not have 2 positive indicators will complete their screening process during phase 1. • Letters and screening profiles will be mailed to parents of those students on November 11, 2019. Please allow 7-10 days for delivery. • Students who have acquired 2 positive indicators will continue the screening process. • Parents will receive notifications from their child’s homeroom teacher of a “testing window” of approximately 2 weeks sometime in November or December.

11. Phase 2 Screening: Achievement Testing • Students with two positive indicators from Phase 1 screening continue to Phase 2 • Achievement measured in reading and math. • Scored by grade level • Phase 2 letters are mailed with phase 3 letters on February 18, 2020. Allow 7-10 days for delivery of these letters to your home.

12. Phase 3 : Intelligence Measure • Students with 4 positive indicators from Phases 1 and 2 continue with Phase 3. • Students who have already accrued five positive measures are not tested in Phase 3, since sufficient indicators are already present for identification. • Students who have accrued 3 or fewer positive measures will not be tested in phase 3.

13. Phase 3: Intelligence Measure • An oral test, administered one-on-one • 1st section - vocabulary • 2nd section -“Odd Item Out”- students identify the item in a series that doesn’t belong

14. Phase 3 Phase 2 and Phase 3 letters are mailed together on February 18, 2020. Please allow 7-10 days for delivery to your home. If you have not received a letter by March 1st, 2020 please contact: sharonLclark@katyisd.org

15. Recognizing Gifted PotentialWhat might these characteristics look like in a kindergartener? • Learning Characteristics • Advanced vocabulary • Knows a great deal of information • Recalls facts easily • Continually asks “how” and “why” • Makes connections; sees similarities and differences • Very observant • Reads above grade level • Reasons things out for himself/herself

16. Motivational Characteristics • Persistent; becomes absorbed in topics or problems • Often bored with routine tasks • Is motived to complete interesting work • Self-critical • Prefers to work independently; needs little direction • Shows interest in adult topics, such as current events • Self-assertive; can be stubborn in beliefs • Likes to organize • Concerned with right/wrong; good/bad

17. Creative-Productive Thinking • Very curious; asks many questions • Comes up with more than one solution • Expresses opinions; sometimes radical and spirited in disagreement • Takes risks; shows sense of adventure • Fantasizes; imagines; shows intellectual playfulness • Keen sense of humor • Shows self-awareness; emotional sensitivity • Notices the beauty of things • Does not fear being different • Criticizes constructively

18. 2019-2020 Kindergarten Screening Timeline Sept. 12thParent Checklists sent home with all Kinder students Oct. 4th Parent Checklist Due. Nov. 11thPhase 1 Letters sent to parents of students not continuing with screening. Feb. 18thRemainingparent notification letters sent. Feb. 24th First week of service; 60 minutes per week in Challenge classroom. Day of week TBD.

19. References: • Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented Students, Texas Education Agency • Identification and Assessment G/T Program Guide 2019-2020, Katy ISD • Recognizing Gifted Potential Professional Development Presentation, by Bertie Kingore and Jeffery Kingore, 2007

20. Questions ? Sharon Clark sharonLclark@katyisd.org