by Emily Villamar-Robbins and Cheryl Taliaferro, Ph.D.
If you move to a different school district, or if you have friends receiving GT services in other districts, you may notice that GT programs are not the same across Texas. Why do GT programs look different in different districts, and what should parents know about these differences, especially when school finances are tight?
Local Control: Pros and Cons
Historically, school districts have asked the Texas legislature to protect local control when it comes to public schools. This means that certain Texas education laws are intentionally flexible, allowing districts leeway to make decisions differently from other Texas districts. As you can imagine, operating a small rural school involves different considerations than operating a large urban school, and students in low-income households often have more intense needs than students in affluent households. Local decisionmaking allows districts to respond to these differences and to allocate funds in ways that meet local needs.
Many Texas GT requirements allow for local decisionmaking, as well. Flexibility in GT program decisions can benefit students when districts choose identification methods and service models that best meet the needs of the GT populations they serve. When districts make GT program decisions based on other reasons, however—such as pressure from leaders who do not understand GT education, or pressure to simply cut costs—the educational opportunities of GT students can suffer.
Identification: Which Students Receive Services?
Texas districts are given discretion to determine which methods and assessments to use in identifying students for GT services, as well as thresholds for eligibility. In plain language, this means that “District A” may use different tests, different parent forms, and/or a different process for student observations or teacher input than “District B” when determining which students need the GT services they offer. Districts may also choose to use the same assessments in different ways. When reviewing results, District A may look for students who score near or above the 90th percentile, while District B may look for students near or above the 95th or 98th percentile. An ideal identification process includes universal screening (evaluating every student instead of relying on parent or teacher referrals to initiate the process) and other research-based methods that reduce the possibility that GT students with diverse learning needs could be missed.
A district’s identification process should align with the district’s GT services and the needs of local students. For example, at a campus where students are learning English as their second language, different and/or additional identification methods are often needed to make sure that students are not overlooked. GT program eligibility may be guided by the approximate percentage of students whose advanced learning needs are typically not met by the general education curriculum at those specific schools. When GT services are designed well, these decisions are based on the needs of the GT populations served by each district. Unfortunately, when districts do not receive enough funding to meet the needs of all students, decisionmakers sometimes try to limit the size of GT programs based on overall district budgets rather than on the needs of GT students.
Service Design: Where and How Do Students Receive Services?
Districts can deliver GT services in several different ways. Each is based on years of research by experts, but each can have pros and cons, and some models may not meet state requirements unless supplemented by other types of services. Service models used in Texas include:
Pullout services: As the name suggests, services can be delivered by “pulling out” students from regular classes to receive small group instruction with other GT students. Some Texas districts deliver pullout services for a few hours each week, while others offer a full day or more each week. During this “pull out” time, while GT pullout teachers tailor learning opportunities to GT ability levels, regular classes are able to review content and provide support for students who have not yet mastered concepts. Pullout services allow GT students to work together in groups (State Plan § 3.4) and to pursue research (State Plan § 4.2), and they enable teachers to address GT students’ unique social and emotional needs, as required by the state (State Plan § 3.11). Services are often delivered by specialists or teachers with extra experience in GT education, which can be important in identifying and meeting the needs of twice-exceptional students (GT students with one or more disabilities), English learners, and highly gifted students (see State Plan § 4.9). When used in isolation, pullout services usually do not fully meet state GT requirements for core subject instruction (English language arts, science, social studies, and mathematics). To fully meet these requirements, districts can combine pullout services with another service model, such as the cluster grouping model.
Cluster grouping: Some districts choose to deliver GT services to “cluster groups” of GT students in regular mixed-ability classrooms, using differentiated instruction. For example, when the teacher of a mixed-ability elementary classroom delivers math instruction, they may use small group instruction, preassessments, and different levels of problem sets to teach students who are struggling with grade-level concepts, students who are appropriately challenged, and a cluster group of GT students who already mastered the material. When GT students receive services in this way, at least 4 students in the class must be identified for GT services, and schools should attempt to fill one third of classroom seats with GT students (see State Plan glossary definition of Cluster Group). Cluster grouping can be an effective way to meet the daily core subject needs of GT students (see State Plan §§ 3.1, 3.3, 4.1) if teachers receive the GT training, the campus support, and the differentiated instructional materials that they need to be successful. Like all teachers who deliver GT services, cluster teachers must receive 30 hours of GT training and annual 6 hour GT updates (State Plan § 5.1), and they often need additional training and specialist support to effectively differentiate instruction. Since cluster teaching happens in classrooms that include students who are not receiving GT services, it is often not possible to meet all State Plan requirements in this setting (examples: social-emotional services and guided research opportunities). To fully meet GT needs and all state requirements, districts often combine cluster grouping with pullout services.
Self-contained classrooms: In some districts, GT services are consolidated and offered at a few designated campuses, which may be referred to as GT or TAG magnet schools. Services may also be offered at a “school within a school,” where only certain classrooms are designated for GT students. In both models, students in GT-designated core subject classrooms are all identified for GT services. When GT students attend a “school within a school,” they often attend music, art, P.E., and other electives with students who are not receiving GT services. Self-contained GT classrooms can provide the greatest opportunity for GT students to receive challenging curriculum and instruction because every student in the classroom is ready for advanced learning. Special considerations and accommodations may be needed to ensure that twice-exceptional students (GT with one or more disabilities) and English learners have equal and full access to learning in self-contained classrooms. The School for the Talented and Gifted (TAG) Magnet in Dallas ISD, housed in a building with other magnet programs, is an example of a nationally recognized self-contained program for gifted high school students.
Acceleration: Acceleration is defined by the State Plan as “an academic intervention that matches the level, complexity, and pace of the curriculum with the readiness and motivation of the student. It involves mastering knowledge and skills at a rate faster or at an age earlier than the norm.” Although acceleration is not a complete service model for delivering gifted services, and not all GT-identified students need acceleration, it is an essential part of gifted services. In Texas, opportunities for acceleration must be part of any service model used by a school district. To learn more about acceleration requirements in Texas, please see our previous blog post on this topic.
Tiered services, including highly gifted programs, and combination models: Some students have advanced needs beyond those of other GT-identified students in their districts (see State Plan glossary definition of Highly Gifted), and students may show advanced learning needs in only one specific subject area, such as math. Some Texas districts meet the needs of these students through programs for highly gifted students, which often include additional acceleration opportunities for cohorts of students, and other districts offer specialized programs in specific subjects. Just as students with disabilities have wide ranges of learning levels and needs, an ideal GT program offers tiered services to meet the different levels and types of advanced learning needs. For example: a district with tiered services may place some students in cluster classrooms, serve other students through combined cluster grouping and pullout services, and serve highly gifted students in self-contained classrooms, with all placements based on student data. Districts with a wide range of GT ability levels, particularly larger districts, use tiered services to meet GT student needs and retain families in the district. For examples of districts that work to meet all levels of gifted needs through a tiered service model that includes cluster grouping, pullout services, and self-contained classrooms, see Richardson ISD Elementary Gifted Services and Grapevine-Colleyville Gifted and Talented Services.
Parent Research Needed: Private Schools, Vouchers, and Charter Schools
Private schools, even those that choose to accept vouchers, do not have to follow Texas GT education requirements. Unless a charter school is operated by a Texas school district, or unless it chooses to seek GT Allotment funding, charter schools also do not have to follow Texas GT requirements. While some private schools can do an excellent job of meeting GT needs, parents will want to research private and charter schools carefully before making decisions.
When Districts Make Bad GT Decisions, and What Parents Can Do
While the flexibility of Texas GT requirements allows districts to design services for their local populations, this flexibility can also make GT programs vulnerable to pressure based on other interests. Please watch our blog for our next FAQ post on identifying and responding to decisions that may weaken GT services.
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This post is part of our GEFN “FAQ” series. To check out some of our other FAQ posts, please see below.
- FAQ: When is “Acceleration” Truly Acceleration?
- FAQ: How Does Texas Fund GT Programs?
- FAQ: Do We Have to Follow ALL of the State Plan?
- FAQ: We Moved Districts. Will My Child Keep GT Services?
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This resource is provided for general information purposes, does not constitute legal advice, is not intended as and should not be interpreted as legal advice, and does not establish an attorney-client relationship.
Emily Villamar-Robbins is an attorney who advises and assists families with legal matters involving gifted education, advanced learning, acceleration, and disability needs, including Section 504 and Special Education. She can be contacted at her firm: www.fultonjeang.com/emily-villamar-robbins.
Cheryl Taliaferro is a former teacher and administrator who specializes in leading, operating, and evaluating programs for gifted students in grades 1-12. With more than 30 years of experience in a variety of public and private educational settings, she is passionate about working with gifted students and their families as they seek advanced opportunities for educational growth.
