Enrichment
Students may be pulled with identified GT students for enrichment, outside of their regular class time. These students will follow the TPSP projects and activities along with their Gifted and Talented peers. To be considered for enrichment, students must have been tested for GT and scored in the above average range (between 81% - 90%) on three of the categories on the IOWA or CoGat or any of the combination of scores for those two tests, according to the YISD Qualification Identification Profile. Students must also be doing well in their core classes and teachers will have input on student behavior and academic progress in the regular classroom setting.
Any student that begins to struggle in their homeroom with attendance or grades, while attending enrichment classes, will be placed back into the regular classroom to ensure they are receiving the required academic instruction.
Transfer of Students
Students who have been identified as Gifted and Talented while attending another school district will be allowed to participate in our local program once all appropriate records have been received. Students must meet Yoakum ISD GT requirements in their scores from testing completed at their previous school/district.
Furlough Procedure
A furlough is a temporary "leave of absence" from the Gifted/Talented Program designed to meet the individual needs of an identified student. Anyone may request a furlough: parent, student, teacher, or administrator. Requests for a furlough will be given to the campus administrator and members of the Gifted/Talented committee for consideration. A student may be furloughed for a period of time deemed appropriate by the Gifted/Talented committee. At the end of the furlough, the student's progress shall be reassessed. At that time, the student may re-enter the Gifted/Talented program, be removed from the program, or be placed on another furlough. Furloughs are designed to be short-term and temporary and should never be used for an entire school year.
A furlough does not indicate a permanent exiting of the program. Furloughs could be utilized for a variety of extenuating circumstances. Any student may be granted a furlough from the program for various issues such as over commitment, family concerns, serious illness, or any other circumstances which would inhibit or curtail the student's performance in the program. The furlough may also be used prior to a formal exit from the program for those students who are unable to maintain satisfactory performance within the learning opportunities of the Gifted/Talented program. A furlough might also provide the student an opportunity to attain performance goals established by the Gifted/Talented committee. A furlough is arranged to meet the individual needs of the student. Students are allowed 2 furloughs per year. Any student that is exited from the program can be retested during the next testing window.
Reassessment
Formal reassessment is not necessary as long as the student's educational needs are being met within the services of the program. If there is any concern regarding the performance or placement of the student, the Gifted/Talented teacher or the District Gifted/Talented Coordinator will contact the parent and confer about available options. Options available are counseling, requesting a furlough, or exiting the student from the program.
Exit
A student can be removed from the program at any time the Gifted/Talented committee determines it is in the student's best interest and a furlough has been ineffective. If a parent requests their child be removed from the program, the Gifted/Talented committee shall grant the request. Once a student is exited from the program he/she must be go through the identification and testing procedures to gain admittance into the G/T program.