Policies and Procedures for Identification

NOMINATION TIMELINE AND PROCESS

The following are the steps required for the selection of students to attend the Academically
Talented program. The program is designed to address the intellectual, creative, artistic, or
leadership needs of the student that requires specialized instruction based on higher order
thinking skills to allow for him/her to meet their academic potential. The program is open to the
top 5% of a grade level regardless of current academic placement or individual education plans.

Step 1:

Staff or Parent nomination forms are due by April 1 of the current academic year.

Step 2:

Grade 2-8 parents will be notified of the testing window date at the end of April.

Step 3:

Recommended students will be tested using the Inview assessment in May.

Step 4:

From June- August, the AT teachers, the Curriculum Supervisor, and the Principal (as needed)
will review the data from multiple measures, including:

• Inview testing (Gr. 2-8)
• CogAT testing (Gr. 2)
• iReady Scores
• NJSLA (Math and ELA) scores
• Report Card Grades

*Not all students will be accepted into the program. Only the top 5% of students within the
matrix (when compared with their chronological peers) in each grade level will be accepted.

Step 5:

Letters will be sent to parents in September making them aware if their child met or did not
meet the criteria for eligibility for gifted and talented programming services for the new school
year enrollment.
(*If a student did not get accepted into the program, they WILL be eligible again the following
year.)

Step 6:

The AT program will begin for students in October.

APPEAL PROCESS

Non-eligible students may request another review of the application process by the
parent/guardian in writing to the administrator of the AT program within 45 days of the dated
letter being sent out. The application will be reviewed again along with the parent to determine
the best way to move forward.

 

TRANSFER STUDENTS:

If a student transfers into the district during the summer, students may apply for the AT
program with any information from the previous school and a parent nomination form. All
materials must be sent to the Academically Talented administrator by September 30th. Students
who transfer into the district throughout the year, may apply to the program and it will be at the
discretion of the Academically Talented administrator for the timeline for processing the
application.

 

WITHDRAWAL OR EXITING THE PROGRAM:

A student who is not meeting the criteria as outlined in the Academically Talented contract will
meet with the AT administrator to assess the concerns. Parents will also be contacted to address
the concerns. Students may be exited from the program should their school grades indicate C’s,
D’s, or F’s. The purpose of gifted and talented programming service is to enhance the learning
process, not hinder other academic areas.

 

Continuum of Services

In-Class Differentiation:

• Curriculum Compacting: Teachers condense the regular curriculum, so students can move through material they already know and focus on new and challenging content.

• Flexible Grouping: Students are grouped by ability for specific subjects or projects, allowing for more targeted instruction.
• Tiered Assignments: Teachers design assignments with varying levels of difficulty to match students’ readiness levels.

Pull Out Program:

• Gifted students leave the regular classroom for a portion of the day or week to engage in specialized instruction that fosters creativity, critical thinking, and advanced problem-solving.

Cluster Grouping:

• Small groups of gifted students are placed together in a regular classroom, ensuring that they can work with peers of similar ability while also interacting with the larger student population.

Subject Acceleration:

• Students move ahead in a particular subject where they show exceptional aptitude, even if their overall grade level remains the same.

Honors Classes:

• High-achieving students in middle school take Honors math classes, which offer more challenging content.

 

Academically Talented Program Criteria for Student Selection

Grade	Criteria
K	Teacher recommendation Report Card Grades DRA iReady Diagnostic Benchmark Scores
1	Teacher recommendation Report Card Grades iReady Diagnostic Benchmark Scores
2	Teacher recommendation Report Card Grades iReady Diagnostic Benchmark Scores CogAT testing*
3	Teacher recommendation Report Card Grades iReady Diagnostic Benchmark Scores Inview Testing
4	Teacher recommendation Report Card Grades iReady Diagnostic Benchmark Scores NJSLA Scores Inview Testing
5	Teacher recommendation Report Card Grades iReady Diagnostic Benchmark Scores NJSLA Scores Inview Testing
6	Teacher recommendation Report Card Grades iReady Diagnostic Benchmark Scores NJSLA Scores Inview Testing
7	Teacher recommendation Report Card Grades iReady Diagnostic Benchmark Scores NJSLA Scores Inview Testing
8	Teacher recommendation Report Card Grades iReady Diagnostic Benchmark Scores NJSLA Scores Inview Testing

*Note: The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) is a group-administered K–12 assessment published by Riverside Insights and intended to estimate students' learned reasoning and problem solving abilities through a battery of verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal test items.