Curriculum

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In accordance with The Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented Students 2019, Texas Education Code (§29.121), and Texas Administrative Code (§89.1), Marion ISD provides a program for the educational development of students who are identified as gifted.

“Students who participate in services designed for gifted/talented students will demonstrate skills in self-directed learning, thinking, research, and communication as evidenced by the development of innovative products and performances that reflect individuality and creativity and are advanced in relation to students of similar age, experience, or environment. High school graduates who have participated in services for gifted students will have produced products and performances of professional quality as part of their program services.”

The Texas Education Code (Sec. 29.121) states that a “gifted and talented student” means a child or youth who performs at or shows the potential for performing at a remarkably high level of accomplishment when compared to others of the same age, experience, or environment and who:

• Exhibits high performance capability in an intellectual, creative, or artistic area;
• Possesses an unusual capacity for leadership; or
• Excels in a specific academic field.

Click on Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented Students for more information on the state guidance governing GT.

Students are identified who perform or show potential to perform at remarkably high levels of accomplishment in one or more of the following areas of giftedness: general intellectual ability, specific academic aptitude, leadership, and creative or artistic capacity.  Are you observing any of the following traits of giftedness in your student/child?

The identification process for gifted and talented services opens in September each school year.  The assessment and review process will conclude in December for grades 1-12.  Students who demonstrate a need for G/T services and support will gain access in January.  The assessment and review process will conclude in February for kindergarten. Kindergarten students who demonstrate a need for G/T services and support will gain access by March 1.

Anyone can refer a student to the G/T program: teacher, counselor, principal, parent, interested person, or self.  If you wish to refer a student to the G/T program, please complete the following form and return it to the student’s campus.

Data and assessment measures are collected from multiple sources for each area of giftedness as defined in The Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented Students and include data and procedures designed to ensure that students from all populations in the district have access to assessment and, if identified, services for the gifted and talented program (19 TAC §89.1(2)).

For all referred students, at least three (3) qualitative and quantitative measures will be used to assess students and to make a program determination.

The following measures are used to build a student’s profile: STAAR Performance (grades 4-12), MAP Growth Reading and Math (grades K-8), Renzulli Scales, Parent Inventory (link below) and CogAT.  Additional data can be submitted by the teacher and/or parent for consideration, such as a student portfolio.

Final determination of a student’s need for gifted/talented services is made by a committee of at least three professional educators who have completed 30 hours of gifted and talented training OR who have received training in the nature and needs of gifted/talented students and who have met and reviewed the individual student data (19 TAC §89.1(4)).

The selection committee shall evaluate each referred student according to the established criteria and shall admit those students for whom gifted program placement is the most appropriate setting.

A student who has been verified by transfer of records, telephone, or mail as an identified gifted/talented student in another school district will be placed in the G/T program. The identification form received from the prior district shall be placed in the student’s cumulative folder. The campus G/T teacher will make contact with the student’s parents/guardians to establish services and support.

At times students participating in the G/T program may need to suspend services and support for a short period of time or indefinitely.  Students have two options to consider: furlough or exit.

Recommendations to consider furloughing a student from the program may be made by a teacher, counselor, administrator, parent, or the student in writing to the campus principal.  If a furlough request is communicated for a student, the campus needs to complete a student review to determine possible interventions for a period of time appropriate to the student context.  In addition, a conference needs to be scheduled with the parents/guardians to discuss the furlough request.  A furlough request can be granted without consulting the G/T committee.

If a furlough request is granted, the student can resume G/T support and services the following semester.  If a furlough period extends into the following school year, then an exit request needs to be considered.

Recommendations to consider exiting a student from the program may be made by a teacher, counselor, administrator, parent, or the student in writing to the campus principal. Exiting a student from the G/T program must be based on multiple criteria including student performance in response to services.

If an exit request is communicated for a student, the campus needs to complete a student review to determine possible interventions for a period of time appropriate to the student context.  In addition, a conference needs to be scheduled with the parents/guardians to discuss the exit request.

If the campus determines the student needs to exit, then the student will be referred to the district G/T committee.  The G/T committee will review the findings from the student review, interventions, and parent conference in order to finalize the exit.

If a student has been exited by the school through the Exit procedure as outlined above, he/she may re-enter by re-qualifying in the identification process after one full academic year has elapsed.

Parents or students may appeal the decision of the selection committee regarding selection for or removal from the gifted program within 30 days of the committee decision letter.  A written notice of the appeal needs to be sent to the campus principal.

The campus principal will consult with the director of curriculum and instruction to make a determination.  New data may be presented to the G/T committee for an additional review, if appropriate.

Any additional questions and/or appeals should be directed to the superintendent.

Cesily Peeples
Director of Curriculum and Instruction
cpeeples@marionisd.net
(830) 914-2803

Prekindergarten uses a skills checklist to determine student mastery and progress throughout the school year.  The skills checklist aligns to the Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines.  A variety of activities and assessments are used to determine a students’ progress toward kinder readiness.  Click on the link above to access a sample of the CIRCLE assessment report.

Kindergarten uses a standards-based development report card to determine student mastery and progress throughout the school year.  The standards align to the Texas Essential Skills and Knowledge for English-Language Arts and mathematics.  A variety of activities and assessments are used to determine a student’s progress toward mastery.  Click on the link above to access a sample of the kinder report card.

First grade uses a standards-based development report card to determine student mastery and progress throughout the school year.  The standards align to the Texas Essential Skills and Knowledge for English-Language Arts and mathematics.  A variety of activities and assessments are used to determine a student’s progress toward mastery.  Click on the link above to access a sample of the first grade report card.

Courses in these grades use numerical grades to report student progress toward mastery throughout the school year.  Click on the link above to access the grading policy for grades 2-8.

Courses in these grades use numerical grades to report student progress toward mastery throughout the school year.  High School courses operate on a credit-based system, meaning students must successfully complete each course to receive credit toward their graduation plan.  When credit is not earned, students will be required to retake Click on the link above to access the grading policy for grades 9-12.

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The Texas Education Code (TEC), §28.023, allows students in primary grades to accelerate a grade level and students in secondary academic courses to earn credit for a course on the basis credit by examination. Credit-by-examination assessments (CBEs) must be approved by each local board of trustees.

Students who have had no prior instruction must be awarded credit for the applicable course if the student receives one of the following scores:

• Three or higher on an AP exam
• A scaled score of 50 or higher on a CLEP exam
• 80% or higher on any other locally approved exam

Additionally, if a student is given credit on the basis of an examination on which the student scored 80% or higher, the school district must enter the examination score on the student’s transcript, and the student is not required to take an applicable end-of-course assessment instrument for the course.  If a student fails to earn credit by exam for a high school course before the beginning of the school year when the student would normally be expected to enroll in that course according to the district’s course sequence, the student must satisfactorily complete the course in order to earn credit.

Students who have had prior instruction in a course may be awarded credit for the applicable course, subject to local district policy, if the student scores 70% or higher on a CBE approved by the local board of trustees. Prior instruction is determined by the local school district.

School districts are required to provide at least one window each quarter for students to test, unless the exam selected by the district has a different administration schedule. Students may take a specific exam only once during each testing window. A school district is prohibited from charging a fee for credit by examination. A school district must provide opportunities for a student who is homeless or in substitute care who transfers to the district after the start of the school year to be administered a CBE at any point during the school year.

January 1 – March 31

April 1 – June 30

July 1 – September 30

October 1 – December 31