Support Services

National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC)

Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG)

MDE Gifted Education 

Minnesota Council for the Gifted & Talented (MCGT)

Free Parent Webinars - UConn Renzulli Center

Join our Gifted and Talented Advisory Council and help shape the curriculum for future students. Visit our Gifted and Talented Advisory Council (GTAC) page for meeting information, dates and times.

District 196 Gifted and Talent Development Service Model Goals:

1. Enrich, enhance, and extend core classroom curriculum and instruction within the literacy workshop and math workshop blocks. Staff utilize critical and creative thinking strategies, problem-solving and inquiry to help students become independent investigators.
2. Engage and empower learners across the full day 
3. Equip PLC (professional learning community) teams and individual teachers 
4. Empower collaboration among classroom teachers, GTD teachers, content coaches, parents, students, and community 

Flexible and Fluid Service Model: 

District 196 elementary schools cluster identified gifted students in grades 3-5. GTD specialists support cluster classroom teachers with differentiating for advanced academic needs in core instruction and in guided groups.

Students whose advanced academics needs extend beyond what can be provided in a cluster classroom may be referred for single subject and/or grade level acceleration.

Gifted and talent development services in District 196 is an inclusive, flexible and fluid model. A student does not need to be formally identified as gifted to receive support for their high academic and learning ability needs. GTD services are provided through flexible grouping based on formative and ongoing assessment of student learning in the classroom based on the content and standards being presented at that time.

Screening and identification process

District 196 conducts universal screening at a district level to identify students who are demonstrating outstanding abilities and are capable of higher performance when compared to their grade level peers at their school. We use multiple criteria for a strengths-based identification in math and reading.

We screen and identify students annually in grades 2 and 4.

• All second and fourth grade students enrolled in District 196 are universally screened.
• Students in grade 5 who are not previously identified but are demonstrating outstanding abilities may be identified by school request following a data collection process. 

The identification process begins in October and ends in March. There is no screening available outside of this process. Notification will be mailed to the families of newly identified students in March. An appeals process will be available. Information about the appeals process will be posted in March.

Currently enrolled students

Gifted identification for currently enrolled District 196 students considers the following multiple measure criteria:

• Assessment of cognitive abilities (Cognitive Abilities Test- CogAT 8)
• Assessment of academic achievement in reading and math (MAP)
• HOPE rating scale (Having Opportunities Promotes Excellence - HOPE)
• All data is locally normed for each school and grade level. District 196 uses local norms for identification.

If a student has been identified in another district or state, contact Teri Emery, K-8 GTD District Program Facilitator, Teri.Emery@district196.org, for information about documentation for identification in District 196.

A cluster classroom is a regular grade level class with a small group of identified GTD students together in the same class. The cluster classroom teacher receives additional training to meet the learning needs of advanced students in math and/or literacy in their class. GTD cluster classrooms in 3rd-5th grades is an efficient way to provide gifted education strategies to students throughout the school day.

Every District 196 elementary school has cluster classrooms in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade. Many schools have more than one GTD cluster classroom in each grade level. Cluster classrooms in each grade level have the same number of students as all other classes in the grade level. A cluster class includes identified GTD students and students with a broad range of abilities. The number of identified GTD students in a cluster class varies. It is recommended that the number of identified GTD students in a cluster class not exceed one fourth of the class.

GTD cluster classrooms seem like the other classrooms in the grade level to the students and to an outside observer. Each elementary school principal selects the GTD cluster teachers in each grade level on a yearly basis.

Gifted and Talent Development services in District 196 are curriculum based. The curriculum for students in the cluster classroom is the district's core curriculum for the grade level based on our state’s academic standards. The curriculum is differentiated to meet the needs of all learners.  A primary objective of the cluster classroom is to place greater emphasis on high level abilities and go deeper with the curriculum with depth and complexity. 

The role of the elementary GTD specialist is to support cluster classrooms by working closely with the classroom teacher. GTD specialists provide instructional support within the classroom environment based on classroom and student needs, as well as offering enrichment opportunities that are available to all students in their school community.

District 196 recognizes that students with superior abilities may have their needs best served by grade acceleration or single subject acceleration. Grade acceleration or single subject acceleration will be recommended only after other appropriate program changes or modifications have been deemed inadequate to meet the academic and emotional needs of the student in the student's current grade placement. This determination will be made by an assessment team. 

Grade Acceleration (grade skipping)

• Grade Acceleration of Students in Grades K-8 
• Request for Consideration of Grade Acceleration Form

Single Subject Acceleration

• Single Subject Acceleration of Students in Grades K-8 
• Request for Consideration of Single Subject Acceleration Form

Early Entrance to Kindergarten

• Early Entrance to Kindergarten
• Request for Consideration for Early Entrance to Kindergarten Form