Talented and Gifted

FOCUS

(Fostering Outstanding, Creative, and Unique Scholars)

East Brunswick Public Schools is committed to providing opportunities for divergent thinking and specialized services for gifted students, both within the classroom and through experiences beyond it.

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 “Strengthening Gifted and Talented Education Act” defines a gifted and talented student as a “student who possesses or demonstrates a high level of ability in one or more content areas when compared to their chronological peers in the school district and who require modifications of their educational program if they are to achieve in accordance with their capabilities.”

We use multiple measures to identify students. According to the Act, “Multiple measures" refers to the use of multiple indicators and sources of evidence of student assessment, of varying kinds, gathered at multiple points in time. Some examples might include but are not limited to: achievement test scores; ability assessments; intelligence testing, student performance or products, talent portfolios, and parent, student, and/or teacher observations and recommendations.

The Gifted Programming Standards, Position Statements, and White Papers of the National Association for Gifted Children have been thoughtfully considered in the identification and support of our gifted and talented students.

If you have any questions about gifted services, please reach out to Dr. Daniel Moran, Supervisor of Social Studies and Gifted Services, at dmoran@ebnet.org or call 732-613-6766.

Grade Levels	Multiple Measures of Identification	Timeline for Parental Notification	Continuum of Gifted Services
K-4	Teacher Observation Inventory (TOI) and academic data—including reading benchmarks, phonics levels, math assessment results, and SuccessMaker outcomes—are used to identify students with exceptional general intellectual abilities and academic aptitude. "Gifted and talented student" means a student who possesses or demonstrates a high level of ability in one or more content areas when compared to their chronological peers in the school district and who requires modifications of their educational program if they are to achieve in accordance with their capabilities.	By mid-January, parents will be notified if their child qualifies for gifted educational services, which are scheduled to begin thereafter.	Tier 1: All K-6 students will engage in whole-class gifted instruction throughout the year, emphasizing divergent thinking and metacognition. Tier 2: K-6 students identified as likely gifted will participate in pull-out instruction. Tier 3: K-6 students identified as very likely gifted will participate in additional pull-out instruction in addition to receiving Tier 2 services.
5-6	The SAGES-3 is a norm-referenced assessment designed to identify students with exceptional general intellectual abilities and academic aptitude. Along with the Teacher Observation Inventory (TOI), the SAGES-3 is utilized as a tool to recognize these exceptional qualities in students. "Gifted and talented student" means a student who possesses or demonstrates a high level of ability in one or more content areas when compared to their chronological peers in the school district and who requires modifications of their educational program if they are to achieve in accordance with their capabilities.	By the end of November, parents will be notified if their child qualifies for gifted educational services, which are scheduled to begin thereafter.	Tier 1: All K-6 students will engage in whole-class gifted instruction throughout the year, emphasizing divergent thinking and metacognition. Tier 2: K-6 students identified as likely gifted will participate in pull-out instruction. Tier 3: K-6 students identified as very likely gifted will participate in additional pull-out instruction in addition to receiving Tier 2 services.
7-12	Course Guide "Gifted and talented student" means a student who possesses or demonstrates a high level of ability in one or more content areas when compared to their chronological peers in the school district and who requires modifications of their educational program if they are to achieve in accordance with their capabilities.	By mid-August, parents will be notified if their child qualifies for advanced classes, which are scheduled to begin on the first day of school.	Course Guide The district meets students' needs with a diverse range of courses, including electives, honors, and AP options, as well as clubs, leadership activities, and independent study opportunities. A variety of co-curricular activities, academic contests, and student-led initiatives further support students' unique passions and goals.

Non-Compliance Reporting

“C.18A:35-38 Complaint for noncompliance. 5. a. An individual who believes that a school district has not complied with the provisions of this act may file a complaint with the board of education. The right to file a complaint shall be set forth in the board’s policy on gifted and talented education. The policy shall be linked to the homepage of the board’s Internet website. The board shall issue a decision, in writing, to affirm, reject, or modify the district’s action in the matter." Please direct all inquiries to Dr. Victor Valeski, Superintendent of Schools.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the SAGES-3 screener work?

How does the SAGES-3 screen work?

The SAGES-3 test is divided into four sections: Nonverbal Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, Language Arts/Social Studies, and Math/Science. These sections are scored and combined to determine three key scores: the Reasoning Ability Score, the Academic Ability Score, and the General Ability Score, all of which are adjusted based on the student’s age at the time of testing. Alongside the giftedness assessment, all teachers completed surveys to identify students demonstrating characteristics of giftedness. Results are expressed as a probability of giftedness ranging from “very unlikely” to “unlikely” to “possibly” to “likely” to “very likely” gifted. The score range for each is determined by the student’s age (in months) on the day of the test. Tier 2 students are those whose General Ability Giftedness score came out to be “likely;” Tier 3 are those who came out to be “very likely.”

My fifth-grade child was not eligible this year. Will there be another screening next year?

I’d like my child to enroll in Honors courses. Will FOCUS prepare them for Honors courses? Are students who receive gifted services automatically enrolled in Honors classes?

I’d like my child to enroll in Honors courses. Will FOCUS prepare them for Honors courses? Are students who receive gifted services automatically enrolled in Honors classes?

Participating in FOCUS has no bearing on future course enrollments. Most of our students are not eligible for gifted services, yet enroll in Honors and AP courses before they attend top universities.

My child has always had great grades and high test scores and is reading at advanced levels. Isn’t that gifted?

My child has always had great grades and high test scores and is reading at advanced levels. Isn’t that gifted?

There’s a difference between knowledge of curricular content and giftedness. For a number of reasons, gifted children may not always receive the highest grades or traditional metrics of academic achievement. Gifted students, in the words of the National Association of Gifted Children, are those “who give evidence of high achievement capability in areas such as intellectual, creative, artistic, or leadership capacity, or in specific academic fields, and who need services and activities not ordinarily provided by the school in order to fully develop those capabilities.”

How many gifted kids are there across the country?

I heard that teachers were given a survey about their students. What did it ask?

I heard that teachers were given a survey about their students. What did it ask?

Every teacher of every subject, including electives and specials, is given a Teacher Observation Inventory (TOI) on which they can list as many students as they like that they think exhibits signs of giftedness. In cases where a student was noted by at least one teacher, we looked again at his or her SAGES-3 scores. This survey helps us better align teachers’ conceptions of giftedness with those of the NJ Association for Gifted Children.

Is FOCUS specific to any one subject?

What are the different tiers?

What are the different tiers?

To best meet the needs of all students, our gifted education program has a tiered approach. Tier 1 lessons are taught to all students by classroom teachers at different times during the year. These lessons emphasize divergent thinking and metacognition. Students identified as “likely gifted” receive Tier 2 services via lessons conducted by the gifted teacher in pull-out sessions once each week. Students identified as “very likely gifted” receive Tier 3 services; these students meet once a week with the Tier 2 students and during an additional period with other Tier 3 students.

Can students miss a FOCUS session if they want to stay in their regularly scheduled class?

I’m concerned that this may be too much of a commitment. Can we opt out?

What are the benefits that this program will offer to my child?

What are the benefits that this program will offer to my child?

The FOCUS program will challenge your child intellectually while providing time for them to work with peers who have similar abilities. The pull-out services create an opportunity for these students to do more challenging, deeper, independent work while personalizing their learning and providing support to further develop the gifts and talents that connect these unique students.

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