Clustering or Mainstreaming Gifted Students

Action Plan Template: Clustering or Mainstreaming Gifted Students

Is cluster grouping where gifted students are placed with similar students in their areas of strength, necessary to effectively address their challenging, enlightening, and intriguing learning needs or should these students be mainstreamed where teachers can maintain a sense of community within the classrooms on campus amongst all students?

Goal:

Sustain keeping gifted students clustered throughout the Truitt Middle School campus with teachers who have been trained in how to teach exceptionally capable and gifted students.

Action Steps:

To effectively identify gifted and talented learners in all year groups and monitor their progress over a period of time
To make all staff aware of the meaning of gifted and talented and develop a shared understanding and agreed definition
Provide whole school professional development on meeting the needs of gifted and talented learners
Continue to develop appropriate curriculum and non-traditional options for these children
Continue to document and collect data on performance and outcomes


Persons Responsible:

Gifted and Talented District Curriculum Coordinator to provide guidance and training to certify staff members in the area of exceptionally able learners
Gifted and Talented Leading Teacher to provide guidance to staff on strategies to meet the needs of exceptionally able learners
Enrichment specialist to ensure gifted teachers are being taught and supported with the latest research
Campus administration to support initiative
School psychologists
This system allows the students to learn with and from each other and reduces the need for multiple teachers to develop appropriate instructional modifications.

Timeline: July 2010- July 2012

July: Placement of clustered classes on Master Schedule

August: Placement of gifted students in clustered classes

September: Staff development for nurturing needs of gifted students
Differentiated Educational Plans (DEPs) developed for clustered classes

October: Administration to ensure conditions for enhanced learning are in place

November: Staff development on enrichment strategies
Differentiated Educational Plans (DEPs) shared with parents

December: Mid-term assessments and projects on semester culminating activities

January: Begin working on Horizon’s showcase for CFISD gifted students
Differentiated Educational Plans (DEPs) shared with parents

February: Staff development on differentiation strategies

March: Identification testing
Differentiated Educational Plans (DEPs) shared with parents

April: Horizon’s Showcase

May: Final assessments and projects on semester culminating activities
Differentiated Educational Plans (DEPs) shared with parents


Start/End Dates:

July 2010- July 2012


Needed Resources:

Ensure gifted and talented provision is supported by appropriate budgets and resources and their use is monitored for impact and best value
Ensured consistent opportunity to learn new material and to develop the behaviors that allow them to cope with the challenge of new learning
Training and enrichment for staff members in differentiation classes
Certification of Gifted and Talented Teachers
Coach/mentor to assist teachers with differentiation
Access to technology
Assistance with data organization and analysis


Evaluation Process:

1. Research counseling and scheduling data to ensure gifted students are “clustered” allowing them to learn together, while avoiding permanent grouping arrangements such as “tracking” for students of other ability levels
2. Plan elements of gifted and talented provisions for clear objectives and to regularly evaluate performance
3. Work closely with feeder and receiving schools to ensure that transfer data is disseminated and is used to inform planning of teaching and learning and proper placement.
4. Administration’s expectation of integrity of Gifted program be upheld