Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Ralston presents HAL program expansion, project-based learning and acceleration options for gifted students
Summary
District HAL teachers outlined identification processes, tiered services from elementary through middle school, project-based learning themes and summer camps; presenters said middle-school acceleration and pull-out services serve dozens of students.
RALSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOARD — Sept. 22, 2025 — Teachers and HAL (high-ability learning) staff described how Ralston Public Schools identifies and serves gifted and high-ability students from elementary through middle school, emphasizing a three-path identification system, tiered services and project-based learning.
The presenters — including Britney Abler (Bloomfield), Karen Western (Meadows), Kaylee Allen (Mockingbird and Seymour) and Chris Rudemski (Wildwood Elementary and Wilson Middle School) — told the board the district uses three main avenues for identifying students: a third-grade CogAT cognitive-ability test, achievement/benchmark scores (FastBridge, MAP) and a teacher/parent-initiated portfolio review for students who show potential but do not meet standardized cutoffs.
Nut graf: The HAL team said the program blends in-class differentiation (tier 1), targeted pull-out enrichment (tier 2) and individualized acceleration (tier 3). The group also described…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
