Gifted & Talented - Discovery Program

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    Accelerated Math Information for Rising 5th Graders:
     
    On Thursday, May 4th, the Gifted and Talented campus coordinators and district staff hosted an online session to share information regarding the 5th Grade Accelerated Math program for the 2023-2024 school year.  This program is designed to provide accelerated math instruction for students who take and pass the accelerated math assessment at the end of their 4th grade year.  Accelerated Math courses begin in 5th grade for qualifying students. Testing is currently underway for 4th grade students whose parents indicated their consent for this evaluation.  If you did not complete the form to have your 4th grade child assessed, please contact your campus GT coordinator for assistance.  Please note that students currently enrolled in 4th grade must be assessed during this May timeline.  Only newly enrolled students will be assessed at the beginning of next school year.  The virtual meeting information is below.
     
     
     
    Gifted and Talented (Discovery) Program Information:
     
    Discovery is the academic enrichment program provided for students who have been identified as intellectually gifted and talented. All students are eligible to be selected for the Discovery program at each campus. In order to be identified as gifted and talented, each student must undergo a screening and selection process. Assessment opportunities are made available once per school year. To maintain the validity of a nationally normed test, a student is not permitted to retake the same test within a two-year window.  
     
     
    Testing Timeline:
     
    The referral window for 1st-12th grade opens at the beginning of the school year and remains open through the end of the 1st grading period.  A teacher, parent, student, or other interested persons observing a student with consistent evidence of gifted characteristics may refer him/her during the appropriate referral window.  
     
    Newly enrolled students arriving after the Fall deadline will be assessed per referral request during the 3rd 9 week grading period.  Students arriving during the 4th grading period may be referred for testing the following school year.
     
    Students previously enrolled in a Gifted and Talented program in another school district will be assessed upon enrollment in LTISD.

    The Kindergarten referral window for Elementary campuses will open at the beginning of the Spring semester and will remain open through the end of the 3rd 9 week grading period.

    Parents have the right to appeal the results of their child's assessment results.  Appeals must be received by the campus GT coordinator, in writing, by January 31st for students assessed in the Fall semester and by May 15th for students assessed in the Spring.  Please reference the Discovery Handbook for more specific details regarding the appeal process. 

    Please refer to the district calendar for exact dates.

    MISSION STATEMENT

    The GT/Discovery Program in LTISD is committed to:

    • Developing a passion for learning, and personal growth so that students reach their talent potential as a life-long learner
    • Delivering an enriched, rigorous curriculum apart from the standard classroom curriculum for identified students
    • Differentiating curriculum and instructional delivery to align with the needs of students
    • Directing all identified students toward intellectual, emotional, and social success in academics and life

    So that all students’ intellectual, social, emotional and creative needs are met.

    PROGRAM GOALS

    • Identify and serve students who perform in the top 3-5% of the students nationally in the areas of:
      • general intellectual ability
      • creativity
      • advanced academic achievement
    • Provide exemplary units of study that both challenge and engage all identified students both intellectually and creatively.
    • Provide learning opportunities in high order thinking skills, decision making, problem solving and reasoning.
    • Address the social and emotional needs of identified students with the assistance of counselors, mentors, and peers.
    • Assist classroom teachers in the process of differentiation for identified students.
    • Strive to achieve exemplary status on the Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted and Talented Students.

    Description of Gifted Talented/Discovery Program

    2022 Virtual Parent Meeting Q&A Transcript

    Questions and Answers