Gifted and Talented and Enrichment Program
Strengthening Gifted and Talented Education Act
On January 13, 2020, Governor Murphy signed the Strengthening Gifted and Talented Education Act codifying school district responsibilities in educating gifted and talented students as referenced in N.J.A.C. 6A:8-3.1. The law went into effect for the 2020-2021 school year. Gifted and Talented students are: “Those students who possess or demonstrate high levels of ability, in one or more content areas when compared to their chronological peers in the local district and who require modification of their educational program if they are to achieve in accordance with their capabilities."
Other Considerations
The Arts
Students who are identified as gifted and talented in the Arts will be provided with opportunities to develop those talents. Special area teachers will work with the Gifted and Talented committee to identify students who are gifted in the arts and provide them with opportunities to further develop their gifts, whenever possible, during classroom and school activities. Students will be encouraged to take part in the many extracurricular and community opportunities within their area of giftedness.
Transfer Students
Students who enter the district mid-year will be evaluated based on Level I indicators. Students who enroll and have been formally identified as gifted and talented from another district should provide documentation of receiving those services along with their report cards. Data will be carefully reviewed by the committee, and parents will be notified in writing if their child qualifies.
Twice-Exceptional Learners
These students are gifted children with above-average abilities who also have special educational needs, such as ADHD, learning disabilities, Autism Spectrum, etc. Because their giftedness can mask their special needs and their special needs can hide their giftedness, the district recognizes the importance of identifying and servicing this often underrepresented group. Building-based selection committees will be sensitive to indicators that seem to reveal contradictions in abilities. These types of contradictions may be indicators of possible twice-exceptionality. No child shall be excluded.
English Language Learners
Research suggests that qualitative and quantitative measures should be used for identification of ELLs who are gifted and talented. Similar to twice-exceptional learners, gifted needs may be masked by language barriers. Therefore, the building-based committees will follow the recommendations of the NJDOE and, when necessary, utilize the following for Level II Identification.