Advanced Academics
Contacts
Coordinator of Professional Development
Leslie Garcia
Email:
Coordinator of Advanced Academics
Shannon Ramirez
Email:
- Honors & Advanced Placement (AP) Courses
- College Board AP Exams for Homeschooled Students
- Gifted & Talented Program (GATE)
Honors & Advanced Placement (AP) Courses
Is there an open enrollment policy for honors and AP courses?
GCCISD has an open enrollment policy for both Honors and AP courses. Although there is recommended criteria for placement in an honors course, even if students don't meet the criteria and wish to accept the challenge they may be enrolled in a course. To enroll in an AP course, a student must simply have met the course pre-requisite requirements.
The College Board's Advanced Placement Program enables students to pursue college level studies while still in high school. The district provides motivated students a large variety of courses in many subject areas. Based on a student's performance on AP exams, students can earn college credit depending upon the college they attend.
Please contact your student's high school counselor to determine course availability on each high school campus.
What are AP courses like?
AP courses are introductory college courses, so they are not easy, but neither are they impossibly difficult. Compared with regular high school courses, the AP course will be more demanding. AP courses often require time outside of class and additional work but they offer a greater opportunity to master a subject and to explore it in greater depth. Students should realize that taking an AP course is a serious commitment to their studies. Teachers of the course have had extensive training in AP strategies and course preparation prior to teaching the course.
How much college credit does an AP score garner?
It is important to remember that each college decides how much credit to award for AP scores. Many institutions accept an AP exam score of 3 or above.
To find out what AP scores are considered acceptable by a college, contact the college's admissions office.
Performance Expectations for all AP Students
AP courses are designed to prepare students for the Advanced Placement exam in the spring.
- All students enrolled in an Advanced Placement course must understand that the coursework will be more rigorous than regular and Honors level courses.
- The content of AP courses is dictated by the College Board's requirements. The course is designed to be taught as though the student were in a college level course.
College Board AP Exams for Homeschooled Students
Gifted & Talented Program (GATE)
Mission Statement
In the pursuit of academic excellence and civic responsibility for every student, the GCCISD is committed to an outstanding education for every child by being a nurturing, innovative, and participatory organization that produces citizens who will successfully meet the cultural, intellectual, and social challenges of a changing world.
State Goal For Services For Gifted Students Philosophy
The Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District is committed to the philosophy that all children have value and worth and that all children can learn. It also recognizes that children learn in different ways, at various rates, and at different levels of mastery. A program for academically advanced students is a necessary and integral part of this commitment. The district values the potential of all children, and so is dedicated to providing developmentally appropriate instruction and activities for those students who are capable and ready to go beyond the required mastery of basic skills and essential elements.
We believe students with gifted potential must have curriculum, which ensures mastery of basic grade level skills, but is also appropriately differentiated to allow students to reach their full potential for academic excellence. Instructional strategies should be multi-sensory and be appropriate for both age and ability. The program includes higher level thinking skills, creative and productive thinking, and opportunities for leadership.
Students in the Goose Creek CISD Gifted & Talented Program are a part of the program for excellence expected of all students.
Goals
- The gifted and talented students in Goose Creek CISD will be self-directed learners who relate effectively to all members of society.
- The gifted and talented students in Goose Creek CISD will produce innovative products through the study of advanced content and the use of critical and creative thinking skills.
- The gifted and talented students in Goose Creek CISD will develop creative products that address current and future needs.
Program Objectives
- Gifted students will conduct advanced levels of research, communicating the results in appropriate modes of expression.
- Gifted students will develop a variety of problem solving skills resulting in creative, appropriate solutions.
- Gifted students will develop their potential through enrichment and acceleration.
- Gifted students will acquire learning skills needed to become self-directed, lifelong learners.
- Gifted students will develop healthy self-concepts and skills of interaction, including skills of leadership, with gifted peers, age mates, and society.
Program
Elementary School
Grades K-5
Identified gifted and talented students are served on each elementary campus. They receive differentiated instruction in core content areas.
Junior School
Grades 6-8
Identified Gifted & Talented Program students are served in Honors Placement classes.
High School
Grades 9-12
Identified Gifted & Talented Program students are served in Advanced Placement classes and Honors Placement classes.
GT Identification Process
- Who can refer a student for GT services?
- How do I refer my student for GT services?
- When should I refer my student for GT services and when will my student be assessed?
- What assessments are utilized during the GT identification process?
Who can refer a student for GT services?
How do I refer my student for GT services?
- Grade K: GT testing for kindergarten students does not require a referral during the fall semester as the district screens all kindergarten students during the fall semester. (See the following Grade K section for further information regarding the referral process.)
- Grades 1-5: Complete a GT referral online and submit it prior to the deadline date.
- Grades 6-11: Request a GT referral from the GCCISD Advanced Academics Department and complete as well as submit it prior to the deadline date.
When should I refer my student for GT services and when will my student be assessed?
Grade K
The district screens all kindergarten students during the fall semester. Students, whose screener score meets the minimum criteria, proceed further into the identification process with the written permission of their parents/guardians. Kindergarten students whose screener scores does not meet the minimum criteria, may be referred for testing in the spring. The Spring referral window opens in March. Students referred in March will be tested in April or May.
Grades 1-11
Parents/Guardians, GCCISD staff, and others may refer a 1st-11th grade student for the GT identification process by completing an online referral during the fall semester beginning in October. The GT referral link will be posted on the GCCISD website and the campus website. For more information, contact the campus GT Contact. Students with a completed referral will participate in the GT assessment process during the spring semester.
What assessments are utilized during the GT identification process?
Grade K Fall Semester
Kindergarten students are administered assessment instruments that measure verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal reasoning. For students whose screening score meets the minimum criteria, parents and students are provided with a qualitative rating instrument designed to capture additional information regarding the student.
Grade K Spring Semester/Summer
Students are assessed with a combination of nationally normed achievement tests (math, language, reading), nonverbal cognitive ability assessments and teacher/parent qualitative rating instruments.
Grades 1-11
Students are assessed with a combination of nationally normed achievement tests (math, language, reading), a nonverbal cognitive ability assessment or an assessment that measures reasoning skills with different types of verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal questions, and a teacher as well as a parent qualitative rating instrument.
Kindergarten Gifted / Talented
How do I refer my kindergarten student for the GT Program in GCCISD?
- All kindergarten students enrolled in GCCISD will be screened in the Fall Semester using a nonverbal ability test and a student portfolio. The kindergarten screening will occur in the student’s classroom.
- Students who meet criteria on the nonverbal ability test and/or the student portfolio will have the option to take additional assessments to qualify for the GT Program. Parent approval must be granted to take the additional assessments.
- The GCCISD GT Identification Committee will review all assessment results to determine which students qualify for the GT Program.
- GT assessment results will be mailed to parents once testing is complete. Students identified for the GCCISD GT Program will begin GT Services by March 1, pending parent approval.
- Parents/Guardians may appeal the decision of the GT Identification Committee by contacting the Department of Advanced Academics within 10 working days of the date on the notification letter.
- GT Services will begin on campus by March 1. Students will receive GT services in a small pull-out group on their home campus. Teachers who teach GT are required to have 30 hours of GT training.
- Kindergarten students who did not meet criteria for the GT Program may be referred for GT testing March 4th-April 6th. Students who are referred will be tested prior to the end of the school year. Students who are identified by the GT Identification Committee will begin GT services the following school year, pending parent approval.
1st - 11th Grade Gifted / Talented
How do I refer my kindergarten student for the GT Program in GCCISD?
- How do I refer my 1st-11th grade student for the GT Program in GCCISD?
- Parents/Guardians, GCCISD staff, and others may refer a 1st-11th grade student for the GT identification process by completing the GT Referral October 20th-November 18th (Window #1) The GT referral link will be posted on the GCCISD website and campus website. For more information, contact the campus GT Contact.
- Any GCCISD 1st-11th grade student who was not referred during the GT Referral Window #1 may be referred for the GT identification process by completing the GT Referral March 16th-31st. (Window #2). The GT Referral link will be posted on the GCCISD website and the campus website. For more information, contact the campus GT Contact.
- Parents must give permission for a student to participate in the GT identification process. For students referred by a teacher or other GCCISD staff, a parent must complete the parent section of the GT Referral Packet. The campus GT contact will reach out to parents/guardians who need to complete the parent section when the referral is submitted by a teacher or other GCCISD staff member. If a parent/guardian refers a student, the teacher will be notified to fill out the teacher section of the GT referral.
- Once parent permission has been granted, students who are referred by March 31st will participate in the GT assessment during the school day in April or May
- Students enrolled after March 31st can be referred by contacting the Advanced Academics Department. Students will be assessed in April or May.
- The GCCISD GT Identification Committee will review all assessment data to determine which students meet criteria for the GT Program.
- GT assessment results will be mailed to parents once testing is complete. Students identified for the GCCISD GT Program will begin GT Services the following semester, pending parent permission.
For additional information, refer to the GCCISD Gifted & Talented Program District Handbook.