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Booth County proposes universal second-grade gifted screening using national nonverbal screener
Summary
District staff presented an updated gifted plan that would screen all second graders in spring with a national nonverbal ability screener to reduce subjectivity; identified students would be evaluated further with teacher observation checklists and later battery tests.
The Booth County School Board on Oct. 9 reviewed an updated gifted-education plan that proposes universal second-grade screening using a national nonverbal ability screener and a teacher observation checklist for follow-up.
Mr. Morris, who presented the update, said the new screener will be administered to all second-grade students in the spring and will compare performance to national norms; he said identified students would be evaluated further with a teacher-observation form and later battery tests (for example, the SAT 10 or similar assessments) before program placement. Mr. Morris described the screener as less subjective and better able to identify students who are nonverbal or otherwise missed by prior referral-based processes.
He said the district expects to use roughly the 95th percentile as an identification threshold and noted that subsequent local data might permit locally normed screening in future years. Changes also include streamlined progress reporting and an advisory committee that will meet periodically to review implementation.
Ending: Board members asked clarification questions about pull-out frequency (elementary pull out roughly 30 minutes per week; middle school once every two weeks for about 30 minutes) and were given details about field trips, enrichment and coach responsibilities; Mr. Morris invited questions by email as the plan is finalized for adoption.
