Policy 6423 – Talent Development Program

The District is committed to providing a strong instructional program that results in growth for all students, including gifted and talented students.  The District believes that students identified as gifted and talented learners should embody and include the diverse populations of our school communities including twice-exceptional learners, English language learners, and students from other groups historically underrepresented in the District’s programs for gifted and talented students.   The District recognizes the need to create and maintain a culturally responsive system for identifying, monitoring and serving gifted and talented students.   It is the District’s responsibility to provide all students with appropriate educational experiences to meet their needs and to help all students develop their talent or talents to their fullest potential.

All schools shall appropriately identify and serve all gifted and talented students using the identification, monitoring, and intervention systems described in the Talent Development Program Guide.

LEGAL REF.:

  • Wisconsin Statutes
    • Sections 118.13  [Pupil discrimination prohibited]
    • 118.35  [Programs for gifted and talented pupils]
    • 120.13  [School board powers]
    • 121.02(1)(t)  [Provide access to an appropriate program for pupils gifted or talented.]
  • Wisconsin Administrative Code
    • PI 8.01(2)(t)  [Gifted and talented pupils]

CROSS REF.:

  • 4370, Professional Learning
  • 5110, Equal Educational Opportunities/Discrimination Complaint
  • 6100, District Vision
  • 6110, Mission, Vision, Core Values, and Strategic Directions
  • 6300, Curriculum Development and Improvement Talent Development Program Guide

AFFIRMED: October 13, 1998

REVISED:

  • January 29, 2002
  • May 23, 2017

Rule 6423 – Talent Development Program

Talent Development Program

  • The superintendent or designee shall designate a person, with a background and training in gifted education, to oversee systematic identification, programming, and monitoring for gifted and talented students and students needing enrichment interventions. The designated person shall be responsible for implementing the Talent Development Program.
  • The Talent Development Program shall include the following:
    • Identification—Identification is a systematic and continuous process for identifying gifted and talented learners.
      Multiple appropriate measures for determining a student’s aptitude and achievement in the academic domains or competence in the leadership, creative thinking, visual arts, and performing art domains, including standardized tests, rating scales, portfolio assessments, observational tools, and local norms on aptitude and achievement tests.  Identification shall be timely and individually documented within the District’s electronic student records system.
    • Intervention—A multitiered system of supports that provide enrichment interventions to students in kindergarten through twelfth grade who are performing at grade level or above shall be available for students needing enrichment interventions.
      Classroom-based, school-based, and/or District-wide interventions will include best practices for educating gifted and talented students.  Specific intervention(s) received by students needing intensive enrichment shall be individually documented within the District’s electronic student records system.
    • Family engagement—Parent education and outreach regarding gifted and talented students will be available to parents/guardians.
      • Prior to implementing a gifted and talented education plan, a parent/guardian shall be given the opportunity to refuse the support.
      • Professional development—Professional development shall be, to the extent possible, ongoing and job embedded and shall focus on developing staff capacity to recognize, nurture, and support the needs of gifted and talented students.
      • Accountability—In order to ensure that each student has access to a continuous system of interventions, each school within the District shall provide effective implementation of the Talent Development Program.
        • Using the District’s student records system, schools shall maintain student-level information for a student having a gifted and talented education plan.
        • Gifted and talented learners shall be explicitly identified as a demographic group for purposes of reporting and analyzing student data for data presentations to the Board and for purposes of developing school-wide achievement plans.
        • The Talent Development Program shall be reviewed annually, and the findings and any changes shall be presented to the Board for approval.