Gifted Child
Gifted child means a child who is of lawful school age, who due to superior intellect or advanced learning ability, or both, is not afforded an opportunity for otherwise attainable progress and devleopment in regular classroom instruction and who needs special instruction, or special ancillary services, or both, to achieve at levels commensurate with his or her intellect and ability.
Gifted Education
Gifted education means expanded, appropriate academic course offerings, or advanced supplemental services, or both as required for the school to provide an educational program that is an integral part of the regular school day and is commensurate with the academic abilities and potential of a gifted pupil. The program for gifted students aids in the optimum development of their intellectual, emotional, and social abilities and honors the diversity among the identified gifted students through the provision of varied placement options and a differentiated, more challenging curriculum. Differentiated classroom instruction, acceleration into a higher grade, single subject acceleration, or advanced placement/honor classes are some of the instruction this program uses.
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Special education is available for students found to be eligible for and in need of special education services. The school provides Special education according to an individualized education program (IEP) which provides a free and appropriate public education. The school holds written procedures for the development, implementation, review, and revision of IEPs. Students who are eligible for special education services must have one of the following disabilities: autism, emotional disability, hearing impairment, other health impairments, specific learning disability, mild, moderate or severe mental retardation, multiple disabilities, multiple disabilities with severe sensory impairment, orthopedic impairment, preschool moderate delay, preschool severe delay, preschool speech/language delay, speech/language impairment, traumatic brain injury, visual impairment. School-based personnel hold written procedures that are available for parents regarding special education including evaluation/reevaluation, IEPs, delivery of special education services, procedural safeguards, suspension, and expulsion of students with disabilities.
Child Find
The intent of Child Find is that schools identify, locate, and evaluate all children from birth through age 21 in order for the children to receive the supports and services they need. Public schools and the Arizona Early Intervention Program are responsible for "finding" eligible children and providing services needed for them to reach their developmental milestones or meet their educational needs.
Child Find procedures include identification (screening), referral, and evaluation procedures. The Child Find process includes the Forty-Five Day Screener, the Teacher Assistance Team, the Child Study Team, and review of enrollment data and educational performance for transferring students.
For children suspected of having a disability, the CST will recommend that a multidisciplinary evaluation team conduct a full and individual evaluation to determine eligibility and need for special education.
Forty-Five Day Screener
The Forty-Five Day Screener is part of the Child Find process. The school district completes the Forty-Five Day Screener within 45 calendar days after entry of each preschool or kindergarten student and any student enrolling without appropriate records of screening, evaluation, and progress in school. Screening procedures shall include vision and hearing status and consideration of the following areas: cognitive or academic, communication, motor, social or behavioral, and adaptive development. Screening does not include detailed individualized comprehensive evaluation procedures. The school maintains the results in the student's permanent records in a location designated by the administrator. In the case of a student not enrolled, the school will maintain the results in a location designated by the administrator. If the identification (screening) process indicates a possible disability, the screener will submit the name of the student to the Child Study Team for consideration of the need for a referral for a full and individual evaluation or other services.
Teacher Assistance Team
The Teacher Assistance Team or TAT is a positive, problem-solving meeting with teacher colleagues. At the TAT, teachers have the opportunity to obtain suggestions for accommodations and interventions for students who are having difficulties. The Teacher Assistance Team may recommend students whose difficulties are not remediated at this level of intervention to the Child Study Team.
Child Study Team
The Child Study Team or CST is a positive, problem-solving meeting with staff colleagues and the parent/guardian of the child of concern. The CST is for students who have not responded to the interventions previously attempted by the classroom teacher and the TAT. At the CST, the school district may consider whether a child may or may not have a disability. If the CST suspects that a child has a disability, the team will recommend a special education evaluation to determine eligibility and need for special education. The CST may also refuse to initiate an evaluation if they do not believe the child’s difficulties are the result of a suspected disability. When the district refuses to initiate an evaluation, they provide parents with a prior written notice and procedural safeguards.
Definitions of Disability
In order to qualify for special education a student must be identified by a multidisciplinary evaluation team as having a disability. In addition, the evaluation team must determine that the child is in need of special education.
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