Chapel Hill Independent School District is committed to providing services to meet the needs of each student.  Moreover, the Gifted and Talented Program at Chapel Hill ISD provides appropriate educational opportunities for gifted learners that is differentiated and designed to allow these learners to reflect individuality and to accelerate in their areas of strength by providing opportunities and educational experiences that are commensurate with their abilities. 

Chapel Hill Independent recognizes that gifted and talented students are found in all cultures, socioeconomic groups, graphic locales, and environments and strive to meet the needs of these unique learners. 

Chapel Hill ISD is now accepting referrals for students who may need Gifted/Talented Services for the school year. This program is designed for students who exhibit intellectual and creative thinking abilities at an extraordinary level not normally served in the regular classroom. Services are provided only upon identification of education needs of the student. Anyone wishing to refer a student attending Chapel Hill ISD in kindergarten through twelfth grade this school year is asked to go by the student’s campus office and request a copy of the referral form or fill out the form online. This form must be returned to the school by January 15th for Kindergarten, and April 15th for Grades 1-12. Those unable to go by the school should call the campus counselor to request a form be sent to them.

• Referral procedures published on campus website (procedures are also included in the district handbook)-Fall

• Referrals for Kindergarten students accepted from parents, teachers, and community members- January 15

• Gifted/Talented committee meets on kindergarten screenings- February

• Written parental permission for services obtained for identified students in Kindergarten- February

• Services begin for identified kindergarten students-Prior to March 1

• Referrals for students in grades 1 – 12 accepted from parents, teachers, and community members- Prior to April 15

• Gifted/Talented committee meets on grade 1-12 screenings- May

• Written parental permission for services obtained for identified students in grades 1-12-May/June

• Services begin for identified students- August

Anyone may nominate a student for the program at the period of annual referrals listed on the timeline above. Referral forms are available in each campus office.

Parents are informed of the identification policies through the district handbook, the district website, and by request of the written policy and procedures for the Gifted/Talented program. As appropriate and when necessary, parent awareness sessions will be offered.

Referrals can originate from teachers, parents or community members during the referral period. Students are nominated with a formal referral sheet to be given to the campus office. Written parent or guardian permission is required to assess a student. If a parent does not want his/her child to be assessed, this information will be documented.

A student profile is used to identify those students who perform, or show the potential for performing, at remarkably high levels of accomplishment relative to their age, peers, experience, or environment. The profile will reflect a minimum of three (3) criteria used in the assessment. The criteria used, starting in first grade, will be a combination of qualitative and quantitative instruments and may include, but is not limited to:

• School Abilities Test such as the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT2) or other school abilities tests as deemed appropriate for the student;

• Achievement Test such as the Stanford Achievement, the STAAR, or other achievement tests as deemed appropriate for the student;

• Divergent thinking assessment as deemed appropriate for the student;

• Teacher and/or Parent Rating Scales such Slocomb/Payne Teacher Perception Inventory, the Gifted and Talented Evaluation Scales (GATES), the Renzulli-Hartman Teacher Rating Scales, the Purdue Teacher Rating Scales, or other rating scales as deemed appropriate for the student;

• Student interview; and/or

• Student product/portfolio

The student profile identifies the student’s strengths and weaknesses. The data from the assessment instruments are plotted on the student profile. Each student's profile is individually evaluated by the Gifted/Talented Committee who have met and reviewed the individual student data. A student clearly qualifies for Gifted/Talented services if the majority of the evidence on the profile falls within the High and/or Superior ranges on the profile. The decision is based on the committee's observation of the preponderance of the evidence on the student's profile.

The Gifted/Talented committee consists of at least three district educators. All committee members have been trained in nature and needs of gifted students. The Gifted/Talented Committee makes a professional judgment based on the recorded student profile data. As the committee evaluates the data on the students nominated, the committee has three options:

• The preponderance of profile data indicates the student exhibits educational need and would benefit from the services offered in the Gifted/Talented.

• There is insufficient evidence in the documentation at this time indicating the student's educational needs would best be met by the Gifted/Talented program. The preponderance of evidence indicates the student’s educational needs would best be served with the services of the regular curriculum

• Further information is requested for the committee to make a qualification decision.

Once the identification process is complete, parents or guardians are notified of the Gifted/Talented Committee’s decision by the last day of school. Parents of all assessed students may request a conference to examine their child’s assessment results. Request should be made through the student’s home campus.