High Ability Program Goals

The high ability program will provide differentiated and above grade level curriculum for high ability students that align with state standards and extends the regular classroom curriculum.

1. Regular classroom teachers, high ability teachers, and administrators will use pacing guides to compact curriculum to accelerate learning for high ability students when appropriate.
2. Continue to use ability grouping, differentiated lessons, and accelerated content as recommended by best practices and the latest research in gifted education.
3. Grades 1-5 high ability students will receive advanced instruction in Language Arts in a resource room allowing the regular classroom teacher to focus on other students in smaller groups for a portion of the day.

The high ability program will support teacher development with professional development opportunities in the field of high ability education.

1. Provide professional development for teachers and administrators in areas that focus on identifying high ability student behaviors and characteristics.
2. Provide teachers with the opportunity to learn the best practices for differentiating curriculum in the regular classroom.

The high ability program will utilize formal and informal assessments in order to identify high ability students from all socio-economic, cultural and ethnic groups and to demonstrate program effectiveness.

1. Research, purchase, and administer multifaceted assessments to all K-12 students that are aligned with local services to identify studentsin general intellectual and specific academic areas.
2. Use Kingore’s Planned Experiences with kindergarten students to recognize students that may exhibit thinking skills that are more characteristic of high ability students when compared to the regular student population.