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EPISD reports GT redesign progress: universal 2nd‑grade screening, new coordinators and 6‑12 elective pathways in development
Summary
District academic leaders described a year of changes to El Paso ISD’s gifted‑and‑talented program: universal second‑grade screening with NWEA MAP and CogAT, creation of campus GT coordinators and a management system, expanded professional development, and draft STEM and ELAR elective pathways for grades 6–12.
El Paso — El Paso ISD staff told trustees on Oct. 21 that schoolwide changes to the district’s gifted‑and‑talented (GT) identification and programming are underway, with new screening, staffing and curriculum steps designed to reduce under‑identification in historically underserved attendance zones.
Chief Academic Officer Al Garcia introduced the update and said the district’s priorities have been access, rigorous identification and accountability. Jason Long, executive director for Advanced Academics, and Sarah Escandón (GT lead/facilitator) described a multi‑year redesign that began when GT moved into Advanced Academics. Major changes completed or in progress include:
- Universal second‑grade screening districtwide using NWEA MAP as a prescreener and the CogAT as the formal assessment (CogAT available in 90+ languages); district…
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