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Wallingford‑Swarthmore outlines multiphase approach and RTI pilot to widen access to gifted services
Summary
District officials described a new multiphase referral model, continued use of balanced screeners (EMU) with one‑on‑one follow‑ups (KBIT), and an RTI pilot at MPE intended to speed access to enrichment and reduce equity gaps; board members pressed for data and resources.
Dr. Skoop, the district leader presenting the gifted program update, told the Educational Affairs Committee on Feb. 10 that Wallingford‑Swarthmore is shifting from a single‑test identification model to a multiphase system that combines universal screeners, curriculum‑based measures and targeted one‑on‑one assessments.
The change follows concerns about "upper underrepresentation of historically marginalized subgroups," Skoop said, and aims to reduce the district’s reliance on a single IQ cutoff. "Traditionally, to be eligible for gifted, you need a full scale IQ of 130 or higher," he said, adding that screeners "are predicting or hope to predict one thing, which is full scale IQ," and that the district needs other data points to make fair referrals.
Why it matters: district leaders…
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