HOW KATY ISD SELECTS GIFTED STUDENTS:
Katy ISD chooses students for its Gifted and Talented Program by
allowing parents to propose inclusion of their child themselves.
Putting the onus on the parent removes the school district from direct
responsibility for identifying those students themselves.
Why would they do that? Well, first to protect themselves from
criticism and maybe a lawsuit. If they miss someone, they could be held accountable
down the road.
Secondly it's just less trouble for the administrators and teachers.
In my opinion, some sort of a screening process should be in place that
includes REAL achievement test scores and/or an IQ test (and that's a problem since they
no longer give many or any of those), teacher recommendations, parent recommendations, and
other true diagnostic instruments that are available.
I notice that the District is advertising for parents to submit
applications for kindergarten students. Smart students are indeed recognizable at
that level, but care should be taken to not mistake reading ability for high intelligence.
Some children who cannot read in kindergarten are still GT students.
Sometimes early readers are just that. They become over-achievers
early on, but then they don't keep ahead of the pack as everyone else learns to read.
Think how disappointing it must be to those students (and their parents) when they find
out that they are not that gifted.
Care must be taken to avoid such situations.
Here is the KISD notice:
Parents
of
kindergarten
students
in Katy
ISD may
refer
their
children
for Challenge
(Gifted &
Talented) screening
starting September
15, 2014. The
deadline
for
submitting
the
referral
form
(parent
checklist)
is Oct. 8,
2014. The
deadline
will be
enforced
so that
students
can be
tested on
the
testing
days
designated
for this
purpose.
All
kindergarten
parents
will
receive
information
in their
child's
take-home
packet on
how to
refer him
or her
beginning
the week
of Sept.
15.
The
State of
Texas
defines a
gifted and
talented
student as
a child or
youth who
performs
or shows
the
potential
for
performing
at a
remarkably
high level
of
accomplishment
when
compared
to others
of the
same age,
experience,
or
environment.
Parents
of
referred
and
screened
students
will
receive
placement
notification
during the
last week
of
February,
and
service
will begin
March 1,
2015. The
kindergarten
program
emphasizes
the
development
of
critical
and
creative
thinking
skills.
Students
attend for
60 minutes
each week
in the
Challenge
classroom.
Students
identified
in
kindergarten
move into
the
elementary
pullout
program in
first
grade. If
you have
questions,
please
contact
the
counselor
at the
home
campus or
the campus
Challenge
teacher.
Three
information
sessions
for
parents
will be
held on
Thursday,
October 2,
2014. The
day
sessions
beginning
at 10 a.m.
and 1 p.m.
will be
held at
the
Leonard
Merrell
Center
located at
6301 S.
Stadium
Lane
between
Interstate
10 and
Katy High
School
(use the
West
Entrance
of the
Merrell
Center).
The
evening
session
will take
place at
Stephens
Elementary
cafeteria
located at
2715 Fry
Road
beginning
at 7 p.m.
An
interpreter
will be
available
at the
evening
session
for
Spanish-speaking
parents.
All
sessions
will last
approximately
one hour,
and
students
do not
need to
attend.
For
more
information,
visit the Gifted
and
Talented website
or contact
the
counselor
at any
home
campus.
I think it's disappointing that the District drags its feet and does not
serve these children in a pull out program until March 1 of the kindergarten year.
They are supposed to accommodate all gifted and talented children, and that SHOULD mean
ALL year!