A Parent Guide to the Gifted Program and to Writing a Meaningful & Effective Gifted Individualized Education Program (GIEP)

 Gifted  Overview: 

The Gifted Program in the Bellefonte Area School District is a specialized program for those students who have been identified as mentally gifted.  The term  “mentally  gifted” includes  a person who  has an IQ of  130  or higher, or when multiple  criteria as  set forth in Department Guidelines  indicate gifted ability. Determination of gifted ability is  not  based on  IQ  score alone.    A person with an  IQ score lower  than  130  may  be admitted to gifted  programs when  other educational criteria in the  profile of the person strongly  indicates gifted  abilit Students may also demonstrate high level thinking skills, academic creativity, exhibit leadership skills, communication skills, foreign language aptitude, technology expertise, perform approximately two grades above grade level on standardized achievement tests; and/or who consistently excel in the regular classroom, based on grades and/or teacher observation. 

 A yearly meeting will be held with the students parents, teachers, and/or administrators to discuss the students current GIEP, academic progress, and to write new annual goals, and short term learning outcomes for the following school year.  

 Course Objectives and/or Focus Areas: 

1.       Students will complete lessons and activities and will create presentations that will enhance, enrich and build upon their regular education curriculum. 

2.       Students will share lessons, research, and activities completed in Enrichment Class that is relevant to their regular education curriculum, to their classmates and teachers. 

3.       Improve academic performance in all areas of the regular curriculum.

4.       Develop critical thinking skills.

5.       Learn creative problem-solving techniques.

6.       Participate in class and panel discussions.

7.       Complete independent and group research projects.

8.       Use the computer and the Internet to research questions and/or projects.

9.       Use the computer to present information to classmates, teachers, parents, and administrators.  (PowerPoint, Web Pages, Electronic Portfolio)

10.    Explore special interests.

11.     Career exploration.

What is a GIEP?  A GIEP is a plan that written by the GIEP team that specifically describes the education to be provided to your gifted student.

The GIEP: 

1.  Will be based on the unique needs of your gifted student.

2.  Enables the gifted student to participate in acceleration or enrichment programs, or both, as appropriate, and to receive services according to the students intellectual and academic abilities and needs.

3.  The GIEP is a working document that may be modified at any time.

Members of the GIEP Team:

1.        Students Parents.

2.       Your child, if you choose to have him or her participates.

3.       Gifted Support Teacher

4.       One or more of your childs current teacher.

5.       School District Administrator.

6.       Others either you or the district invites to participate.

GIEP Contents:

The Team will review the written report and the completed student & parent survey and discuss how your child is performing in school now.  The GIEP will contain a statement of your childs present educational performance.  The GIEP team will write annual goals and short term learning outcomes that meet the needs of your child. 

• Annual goals will describe what you child can be expected to learn during the year.
• Short-term outcomes are the sequential step your child must take in order to reach these goals.

Glossary of Terms:

Chapter 16:  Regulations and rules regarding gifted students in Pennsylvania.

Gifted Individualized Education Program (GIEP):  The plan written by the GIEP team (including parents) that specifically describes the education to be provided to a gifted student.

Gifted Multidisciplinary Team (GMDT):  A team of educators, other professional individuals, and the childs parents that reviews all formal testing of a child and all other evaluation material. The GMDT must issue a written report recommending whether the child is gifted and making suggestions about the programs and services needed.

Gifted Written Report (GWR):  The report that is compiled and written by the gifted multidisciplinary evaluation team following a multidisciplinary evaluation.  It contains all of the information gathered by various team members, as well as the results of the assessment.  It makes recommendations to the GIEP team regarding eligibility for gifted programs.

Specially Designed Instruction:  adaptations or modifications to the general curriculum, instruction, instructional environments, methods, materials, or a specialized curriculum for students who are gifted.

GIEP Parent & Student Survey:

1.           Interests & Passions:  Include the interests and aptitudes of the student.  What are students passions?  What does the student want to study during enrichment class?

2.           Future Goals & Aspirations:  What would the student like to accomplish during this school year, by graduation?  Don't just think in terms of the students academic career.  What does the student want to do after high school college, technical, trade school?

3.           Evidence of Excellence: How did you know that your child was gifted?   Besides grades and hard data, what other information indicates excellence?  This could be a writing award, high performance in an academic competition, or other evidence that indicates exceptionality. 

4.           Push to Appropriate Performance: What do you think that your child needs beyond the regular curriculum?  What are your students strengths; what are his needs?

5.           GIEP Goals:  What goals would you like to see your child accomplish this year.  What are some activities that your child would like to do participate in enrichment class this year?