“Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please.

” Mark Twain

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The NAGC in “Who Are Gifted Children?” states (see http://www.nagc.org/index.aspx?id=121):

Former U. S. Commissioner of Education Sidney P. Marland, Jr., in his August 1971 report to
Congress, stated,
"Gifted and talented children are those identified by professionally qualified persons who by virtue
of outstanding abilities are capable of high performance. These are children who require
differentiated educational programs and/or services beyond those normally provided by the
regular school program in order to realize their contribution to self and society" (Marland, 1972).
The same report continued:
"Children capable of high performance include those with demonstrated achievement and/or
potential ability in any of the following areas, singly or in combination:
1. general intellectual ability
2. specific academic aptitude
3. creative or productive thinking
4. leadership ability
5. visual or performing arts
6. psychomotor ability."
Using a broad definition of giftedness, a school system could expect to identify 10% to 15% or more
of its student population as gifted and talented.

“A student is gifted if he/she possesses outstanding abilities in the areas of general intellectual
capabilities, specific academic aptitudes or the arts.
Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Act (1988)”

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THE ANNOTATED CODE OF THE PUBLIC GENERAL LAWS OF MARYLAND

Education: Title 8. Special Programs for Exceptional Children

Subtitle 2. Gifted and Talented Students

§ 8-201. "Gifted and talented student" defined.

In this subtitle, "gifted and talented student" means an elementary or secondary

student who is identified by professionally qualified individuals as:

(1) Having outstanding talent and performing, or showing the potential for
performing, at remarkably high levels of accomplishment when compared with
other students of a similar age, experience, or environment;
(2) Exhibiting high performance capability in intellectual, creative, or artistic areas;
(3) Possessing an unusual leadership capacity; or
(4) Excelling in specific academic fields.
[An. Code 1957, art. 77, § 106F; 1978, ch. 22, § 2; 1997, ch. 109; 2003, ch. 418.]
Source:
http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/programs/giftedtalented/statute.htm?WBCMODE=Presentat%25%25%3E%2cPresentat%25%25%3E
%25%3E%25%3E

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THE ANNOTATED CODE OF THE PUBLIC GENERAL LAWS OF
MARYLAND

Education: Title 8. Special Programs for Exceptional Children

Subtitle 2. Gifted and Talented Students

§ 8-202. Statement of policy.

The General Assembly finds that:
(1) A gifted and talented student needs different services beyond those
normally provided by the regular school program in order to develop the
student's potential; and
(2) Gifted and talented students are to be found in youth from all cultural
groups, across all economic strata, and in all areas of human endeavor.

[An. Code 1957, art. 77, § 106F; 1978, ch. 22, § 2; 1997, ch. 109; 2003, ch. 418.]
Source:
http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/programs/giftedtalented/statute.htm?WBCMODE=Presentat%25%25%3E%2cPresentat%25%25%3E%25%3E
%25%3E

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The General Assembly expressly acknowledges
the existence of “gifted and talented students”
and subscribes to the Marland definition of
“gifted and talented.”

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Gifted and Talented Education in Montgomery
County Public Schools are governed by
policy-IOA and regulation-IOA-RA
Source: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/enriched/

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Gifted and Talented Students are defined in this policy as follows:

(1) Children and youth with outstanding talent who perform or show the
potential for performing at high levels of accomplishment when compared
with others of their age, experience, or environment (These talents are
present in children and youth from all cultural groups, across all economic
strata, and in all areas of human endeavor.)

(2) Children and youth who exhibit high performance capability in

intellectual, creative, and/or artistic areas, possess an unusual leadership
capacity, or excel in specific academic fields (They require services or
activities that may go beyond those ordinarily provided by the schools.)

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MCPS Policy
Children and youth with
outstanding talent who
perform or show the
potential for performing at
high levels of
accomplishment when
compared
with others of their age,
experience, or environment
State Law
Having outstanding talent
and performing, or showing
the potential for performing,
at remarkably high levels of
accomplishment when
compared with other students
of a similar age, experience, or
environment
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Montgomery County subscribes to a lower threshold of
identification compared to the state definition, i.e., requiring a
“potential for performing at high levels of accomplishment ”
instead of a “potential for performing at REMARKABLY high
levels of accomplishment.

Consequently, MCPS identifies ABOVE GRADE LEVEL PERFORMANCE.

The DC Examiner report on 9/15/08 (Source:

http://www.dcexaminer.com/local/Gifted_and_talented_label_abounds_at_DCs_sub
urban_schools.html) quoted Marty Creel, Director, DEIP, who leads the MCPS GT
program as saying, “We’re not identifying these kids as geniuses, but as ready to work above
grade level,” adding “the county has made remarkable progress in getting students to that
mark.”

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The G/T Program is based upon two definitions of giftedness which serve as a
foundation for talent development in the program and selection of students.

Definition One
Gifted behavior consists of behaviors that reflect an interaction among three basic
clusters of human traits above average ability, high levels of task commitment, and
high levels of creativity. Students demonstrating gifted behaviors are those
possessing or capable of developing this composite set of traits and applying them
to any potentially valuable area of human performance. (Adapted from Joseph
Renzulli's definition.)

Definition Two
Highly able students are those who have been talent spotted as having outstanding
abilities in the area of general intellectual capabilities, specific academic aptitudes,
or the creative, visual, or performing arts. (Annotated Code of Maryland,
8.201.202.)
The Howard County Public School System subscribes to multi-dimensional
definitions of giftedness, seeking to recognize and develop talents in students.

Source: http://www.hcpss.org/gt/definition.shtml

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 Remarkably
High Levels
High Levels Maryland

MCPS

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 Multi
Dimensional
One
Dimensional HCPS

MCPS

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 Parent Survey Teacher Staff Reading and
Survey Advocacy Math Levels

InView― InView― Raven Additional

Analogies Quantitative information
Subtest Reasoning
Subtest

The identification process is based on multiple criteria. No single criterion can exclude a student from identification.

Parent Survey―An important part of the process. Mailed home. Parents can request translations from their school.
Teacher Survey―Survey considers all students, note more inclusive language.
Staff Advocacy Form―Administrator, ESOL, staff development, reading, arts/music teachers, media specialist, etc., may advocate
for individual students.

Source: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/enriched/giftedprograms/recognizing.shtm
 The Twin MCPS Pathways to GT Identification

To be classified as GT within MCPS you must meet cut-off scores on three of the
following QUALITATIVE criteria:

Meet the cut-off scores in two of the following QUANTITATIVE criteria

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The Twin MCPS Pathways to GT Identification

PURELY PURELY
QUALITATIVE QUANTITATIVE

It is generally accepted that a MIX of quantitative and

qualitative factors is the proper means. Other yardsticks
include performance "two-standard deviations above the
norm," the "top 5%," etc.

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 Shortcomings of the Twin MCPS Pathways to GT
Identification

• The purely qualitative pathway is easily manipulated

• The purely qualitative pathway cannot be uniformly implemented

• The purely qualitative or purely quantitative pathway is not generally

accepted as a credible GT identification tool

• The GT ID data will demonstrate if the above assertions are correct.

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Is the Data Telling Us the Same Story?

1.Compare GT ID Rates and TerraNova

Scores
2.Compare GT ID Rates and MSA
Scores
3.Compare GT ID Rates at Two Schools
in the Same Socioeconomic
Community with Similar
Demographics
The “pilot” programs follow the MCPS GT identification procedures and omit the
final step of assigning the label
(Source: MCPS Reports)

No data is collected beyond that normally acquired for any school

(Source: Private communication from MCPS)

CONCLUSIONS:

No statistically significant changes in educational performance reported by “pilot

owners.”

The criticism that “labeling” somehow impacts the performance of students not
receiving the GT label has not been proven true.

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 A GT Definition
that does not
conform to state
law

A 2-track ID Lack of
process that is not a accountability
generally accepted measures
practice
The GT ID Mess

School GT ID data Strong pressure to

categorized by the eliminate
8-ID criteria has traditional grading
never been released assessment
or analyzed

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Kumar Singam © 2009
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“The temptation to form premature theories upon
insufficient data is the bane of our profession."
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

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A. Data Driven Change & Debate
B. Credible Identification Paradigms
C. A Credible Process of Identification
D. Accountability Measures
E. Transparency Measures
F. Uniform Implementation
G. Adherence to Well-Established Standards &
Norms
H. Conformity with Applicable Laws/Regulations

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Kumar Singam © 2009
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