Prompt 2- Identification and Assessment

Throughout my experience at Autrey Mill Middle School and observations at other

schools within the Fulton County School system, I have seen evidence that the Georgia Board of
Education Rule 160-4-2.38 is implemented very well. The notification of parents for the testing
and identification process, the eligibility process, the incorporation of mixed model classroom
settings with differentiated educational strategies, as well as the multiple means for referrals
shows that Fulton County is making the talented and gifted program a priority. The Identification
and Assessment course opened my eyes to the efforts that are being taken to find the students that
truly are in need of a different educational experience to be the most successful. The drawbacks
that I have seen lay with the training of teachers for identification of gifted students in special
populations such as economically disadvantaged.
Providing information regarding the screening and testing process for parents eliminates
the guess work of why only certain students are eligible for the TAG program. All teachers are
trained each year on the CISS process and they each screen all of their students. This provides
ample opportunity for students to display their strengths in multiple settings. The Curriculum and
Strategies course has also provided multiple lessons to be used to best allow students to show
their talents and allow them to flourish. Students from other states and counties may
automatically be screened using the previous years test scores. This casts a large net for students
to move on to referral for TAG. Teachers, counselors, peers, self, administration, and a childs
parents can refer a student to the Eligibility Team to see if they meet requirements to test the
child as well. The eligibility process provides several opportunities for students to be eligible for
TAG services by looking at various aspects of mental ability, creativity, achievement and
motivation.
Before beginning the Talented and Gifted Certification Program, I had several
misconceptions concerning gifted students, the program and their parents. I assumed the TAG
students were intelligent, learned faster and I felt sure the gifted label was only a status
symbol. I can see now that gifted students are not only intelligent, but are also in need of an
education that best suits their learning needs. This is why the socioeconomically disadvantaged
students that are not as easily identified as gifted are being done a disservice. Teachers need to be
appropriately trained to recognize strengths of this population and to provide lessons and
strategies that will allow those characteristics to be brought to the forefront.
After completing the identification and assessment course, I have a greater understanding
of each process leading to a student entering or not entering the Talented and Gifted Program in
Fulton County Schools. I believe I am more prepared to distinguish students displaying
consistent and superior strengths within my classroom. I am also prepared to analyze negative, as
well as, positive traits in identifying students during the CISS process. I am also confident in my
ability to interpret scores and appropriately explain their meanings to parents and guardians. In
the future, I hope to assist in the identification of special populations such as English Language
Learners, twice exceptional and socioeconomically disadvantaged students as gifted.