Gifted and Advanced Learning

PREP is a Gifted and Advanced Learning (GAL) site and received the Excellence in Gifted and Talented Education (EGATE) Award in 2019 from the Maryland State Department of Education. This certification is renewed every five years, so a Renewal Portfolio will be submitted in the Fall of 2023. PREP’s GAL Program Plan, updated January 2023, may be viewed here.

A gifted and talented student is identified as “having outstanding talent and performing, or showing the potential for performing at remarkably high levels of accomplishment when compared with other students” (Maryland Annotated Code § 8-201). The law recognizes that students may have different types of gifts and talents, such as intellectual ability, excelling in specific academic fields, or high performance capability in creativity, leadership, or the visual and performing arts. In addition, other students may exhibit a keen ability to lead, influence, and organize others. Gifted and talented students are found in all grades and in all cultural, ethnic, and economic groups.

Identification Process

City Schools uses multiple indicators in the identification of gifted and advanced learners. PREP screens all kindergarten students with an ability assessment and continues to monitor all achievement results throughout the year and each year that students are enrolled. Either the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT3) or the Cognitive Ability Test (CogAT) is used as an initial identifier, and formal identification then includes data from nationally normed achievement assessments in mathematics and reading (e.g., PARCC, i-Ready, or the Measure of Academic Progress). Gifted learners are those students whose ability and achievement scores fall in the 90th to 99th percentile range on nationally normed tests, while advanced learners are those whose ability and achievement scores fall in the 80th to 89th percentile range. City Schools also uses motivation scales (GES-3) and creativity assessments (Torrance) in limited cases when students pre-qualify in only one of the two categories of ability or achievement. City Schools also identifies students for talent development when their ability scores exceed the national average but do not yet qualify them as advanced or gifted. Kindergarten students are identified for talent development until achievement test data is available.

Cluster Grouping

The practice of cluster grouping represents a mindful way to make sure gifted students continue to receive a quality education at the same time as schools work to improve learning opportunities for all our young people.

What does it mean to place gifted students in cluster groups?

A group of four to six identified students, usually those in the top 5% of the grade level population in ability, are clustered in the classroom of one teacher who has special training in how to teach gifted students. The other students in that class are of mixed ability. If there are more than six gifted students, two or more clusters may be formed.

What are the advantages of using the cluster grouping concept?

For the gifted students, the advantages are that they feel more accepted when there are other students just like them in the class. They are more likely to choose more challenging tasks when they are able to work with other gifted students. When teachers know several gifted students will benefit from differentiation efforts, it seems more realistic to make that differentiation available. For the school, the advantage is that it is finally possible to provide a full-time, cost-effective program for gifted students, because their exceptional learning needs are more likely to be met when they are grouped together with a specially trained teacher.

How are teachers trained to meet the needs of gifted learners?

All teachers at PREP receive training provided by the Office of Gifted and Advanced Learning. Additionally, the school provides training at various times throughout the year.