The Gifted Education Program provides appropriate instruction for eligible students by delivering effective and innovative strategies beyond the basic curriculum. The program is designed to challenge and empower students to produce quality work and to become productive citizens while protecting and nurturing their unique characteristics.

Program Identification
The State of Florida defines a gifted student as “one who has superior intellectual development and is capable of high performance.” Schools have an obligation to identify and provide services for gifted students. A student may be referred for screening for gifted by a parent/guardian, a teacher or other staff member, the student themselves or any other individual with knowledge of the student.

Palm Beach County School District currently universally screens second-grade students for gifted with the NNAT3 in 89 schools.

Eligibility Criteria Definition
Students are eligible for the Gifted Education Program through Plan A if they meet the following criteria:

• A need for the program as demonstrated by evidence of a majority of characteristics of gifted students as scored on a District Checklist; and
• A score of 130 or higher on an individually administered Intelligence Quotient (IQ) Test.

Students qualify under Plan B if they meet the Eligibility Requirements as outlined in the SP&P, “District Plan B for Underrepresented Populations.” Underrepresented Populations are defined as low socioeconomic status students that qualify for free or reduced lunch, or defined as English Language Learners (ELL).  

If you believe that a student meets the above criteria for Plan A or Plan B eligibility, the parent, guardian, or teacher should contact the Exceptional Student Education (ESE) Contact at the homeschool to refer the child for screening and evaluation. If gifted services are not available at the homeschool, students eligible for the gifted program are transported to the assigned gifted center. Schools serving gifted students are listed on the Feeder Patterns, which are listed below.

• Gifted Education Brochure (pdf)
• Gifted Brochure Spanish (pdf)
• Gifted Brochure Creole (pdf)
• Gifted Brochure Portuguese (pdf)
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Characteristics of the Gifted Student
Gifted children typically display some, but not all, of the following characteristics: 

• Uses an enriched vocabulary
• Asks many thought-provoking questions
• Expresses unusual ideas
• Has a wide range of interests
• Uses complex sentences
• Acts independently
• Displays curiosity
• Possesses leadership qualities
• Functions  a high energy level
• Has long attention span in areas of interest
• Reads at an early age
• Understands the concept of time
• Engages in self-directed activities
• Is sensitive to feelings of others
• Has a keen sense of humor
• Is able to conceptualize
• Learn skills rapidly and without repetition
• Retains and uses information effectively
• Wants to know what makes things “tick”
• Enjoys learning
• Reasons well
• Is a perfectionist
• Prefers older companions or adults
• Has facility with numbers

Gifted Programming

Curriculum and Instruction
Students identified as eligible to receive gifted services have an Educational Plan (EP) that is developed to foster both their strengths and areas of need.  This plan is developed at the conclusion of the Consent For Eligibility meeting, with the parent, teacher of the gifted, general education teacher, and ESE contact. This plan is updated to reflect the successful completion of goals or to express the need for continued support in specific areas.  Goals may include both academic and social objectives for the gifted student.  

Definitions:

Gifted Services:  The Educational Plan (EP) is implemented by the gifted-endorsed teacher or a teacher working towards their gifted endorsement.  Gifted services are not defined by the makeup of the students in the classroom. 

Resource Room Model (Part-time): Student receives gifted services within a resource room.  The student’s general education teacher does not maintain a gifted endorsement.

Gifted Center Model (Full-time): A Gifted Center Model is defined as a school site that has a gifted certified teacher at every grade level to provide gifted services to students identified through an Educational Plan (EP). 

Gifted Program Options

Elementary Schools
Elementary gifted students are offered a range of programs from part-time to full-time. These programs, strategically located throughout the district, are provided through the Resource Room Model or the Gifted Center Model. If the home school does not have a Gifted Center model of programming, students are provided the option to transfer to the home school’s receiving Gifted Center to receive gifted services. Students at schools with Part-time Gifted Programs are given the option of remaining at the home school or being transferred to the home school’s receiving Gifted Center.  The information related to the gifted status of the school will be shared with parents and families when students are registered at their home school. 

Middle Schools
Middle School students may choose appropriate gifted education courses from those available at their home schools. If the home school does not provide gifted services, the students are provided the option to transfer to the Gifted Middle School Center that is geographically closest to their home.

High Schools
High Schools offer a number of options for accelerated learning. These options vary among schools. Advanced Placement, AICE, and Honors Level courses are available throughout the county. Magnet programs such as International Baccalaureate, Math-Science-Engineering, Pre-Medicine and Allied Health, Pre-Law, and Teacher Academy are also available. The rigor of these programs provides accelerated course opportunities for the gifted learner. 

Differentiation
To provide appropriate and challenging educational experiences for gifted students, differentiation of instruction is implemented.
 
Differentiation may include:

• in-depth study
• a high degree of complexity
• advanced content
• variety in content, process, and student products
• Varying the pace of instruction

A qualitatively, differentiated curriculum for gifted students consists of carefully planned, coordinated, learning experiences that meet the specific learning needs of the student. Appropriate differentiation allows for an increase in difficulty and depth in the level of abstraction and complexity of the curriculum, responding to the learner’s needs.
 
Curriculum Compacting 
Curriculum compacting is used continually to negate of material already known and understood by the student.
 
Acceleration
Acceleration is also implemented, on an individual basis, when necessary to meet the needs of a gifted learner.

Resources

• Duke Gifted Letter https://tip.duke.edu/
• National Association for Gifted Children  https://www.nagc.org/
• National Center for Research on Gifted Education  https://ncrge.uconn.edu/
• Supporting Emotional Needs of Gifted (SENG)   http://sengifted.org/

District Gifted Personnel

Tracy Roiger, M.Ed. - K-12 Accelerated Program Planner 
(561)969-5856
tracy.roiger@palmbeachschools.org

Kelly Garrison, M.Ed. - K-5 Accelerated Specialist  
(561) 434-8369
kelly.garrison@palmbeachschools.org

Theresa Thomas, M.Ed. - Gifted Instructional Specialist
(561) 434-8734
t.thomas@palmbeachschools.org

Tara Baruch, M, Ed, Manager, Secondary ELA, AVID, Johnson Scholar, K-12 Physical
Education, & Accelerated Learning
(561) 434-8638
taramarie.baruch@palmbeachschools.org

Central: Lisa Robol
(561) 868-5301
lisa.robol@palmbeachschools.org

Glades: Amy Brown
(561) 996-4902
amy.brown@palmbeachschools.org

North: Shaquira Young
(561) 494-1500
shaquira.young@palmbeachschools.org

South: Karen Lubin
(561) 731-2879
karen.lubin@palmbeachschools.org