Neighborhood Gifted and Talented Program

Roberts Elementary has a Neighborhood Gifted/Talented Program for students in Kindergarten through fifth grade. This program can begin in the spring of the Kindergarten year and continue through fifth grade. The official definition of the term “gifted” from the Texas Education Code: “Gifted and Talented student” means a child 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. The child also:

• exhibits high performance capability in an intellectual, creative, or artistic area,

• possesses an unusual capacity for leadership, or
• excels in a specific academic area.

The focus of the Neighborhood G/T Program is to serve the top achieving students with a differentiated curriculum by modifying the general academic program in depth, complexity and pacing. HISD’s G/T Curriculum Framework “Scholars and Knowledge” provides a continuum of learning for G/T students. Instructional strategies that are emphasized throughout the framework are pacing and differentiating the CLEAR core curriculum with concept based instruction, adding depth and complexity, independent research, interdisciplinary studies, and developing creativity. The teachers who provide instruction and services to the G/T students have a minimum of 30 clock hours of Gifted and Talented professional development. They also receive 6 hours of G/T professional development each year.

All applicants are evaluated on multiple criteria, including: Ability (NNAT) and achievement (Stanford) testing, parent and teacher rating, and grades. A student qualifies or does not qualify based on the completion of the district approved Profile sheet. All Kindergarten students will be evaluated for Gifted/Talented services by March of each year, after receiving the completed application and results of the Naglieri Nonverbal Abilities Test (NNAT) and Stanford Achievement Test.

Parents who want their child considered for the Roberts Neighborhood Gifted/Talented Program must complete an application available through the school office. Applications are available four times a school year. Information regarding application deadlines will be communicated weekly through the Roberts Front Page. If you have any questions, or would like more information, please contact Stephanie Walton, Special Programs Coordinator, at 713-295-5272 or swalton@houstonisd.org.

The Neighborhood G/T K-5 program is under the direction of the HISD Advanced Academics Department. All Neighborhood G/T program procedures are HISD board approved (Elementary School Guidelines) and aligned with the Texas State Plan for the Education for Gifted and Talented students.