Parent Awareness

In Amarillo ISD, students who receive academic support through gifted and talented services show a preponderance of evidence of an academic need for support. Our services are designed to make learning accessible to students whose brains are wired to think, process information, or solve problems in a significantly different way from their peers. The goal is to provide the specialized support required to help these students thrive and learn in a way that fits their unique needs.

Students who receive support through Gifted and Talented services are not removed from their typical classrooms or given special privileges. They learn the same subjects with their peers, but their teachers use specific, research-based strategies to help make learning accessible. The goal is to match a student's unique processing style and learning needs to the teaching methods used, ensuring they can use their strengths to reach their full academic potential. Rather than adding more work, this support provides an opportunity for students to engage with the curriculum in a way that truly fits how they learn.

Nonverbal Divergent Processing: Students who qualify for support in Nonverbal Divergent Processing primarily think in pictures, systems, and patterns rather than words, giving them exceptional visual-spatial reasoning and problem-solving skills. While their way of thinking is far outside the norm, it can be hard for them to show their understanding through writing or speaking. Without support that values visual and hands-on learning, their high potential can go unrealized.

In Kindergarten and first grade, students are only served in the area of Nonverbal Divergent Processing because it is the one area that can be clearly identified as an educational need regardless of a child’s previous experiences. Beginning in second grade, data is universally collected to identify students who need additional support, and at that point support can be provided in all five service areas. The other four areas (Verbal Divergent Processing, Quantitative Divergent Processing, Mathematics Advanced Academics, and Reading Language Arts Advanced Academics) are taught through the regular classroom curriculum, which follows a carefully sequenced progression of skills to make sure students develop a strong foundation for future learning.

There are five areas in which a student can qualify for support in Amarillo ISD. Please review the descriptions below to understand the specific educational needs served through gifted and talented services through Amarillo ISD.

Verbal Divergent Processing: Students who qualify in this area process information primarily by connecting ideas, spotting patterns in language, and grouping concepts by how they work or fit together. They are quick to notice deep relationships between words, objects, and ideas that others might overlook. Because these students think about language conceptually rather than just relying on memorized vocabulary or reading level, their ability shines regardless of their background or native language. They may not always look like traditional top readers, as their true strength lies in seeing the big picture and figuring out how ideas relate to one another. Because they naturally consider multiple angles and possibilities before answering, they can sometimes be misperceived as overthinking, hesitant, or off-topic when they share an unexpected response. These students thrive in learning environments that encourage sorting and grouping ideas, comparing how things work, and explaining the "why" behind their reasoning.

Quantitative Divergent Processing: Students who qualify for support in this area primarily process information through numbers, patterns, and relationships. They often notice connections in data, spot inconsistencies, and enjoy figuring out efficient ways to solve problems. These students are not simply “good at math,” and their academic success can vary greatly depending on how concepts are taught. If instruction is highly procedural or overly repetitive, they may become disengaged because it does not match how they think. Their strength is in recognizing structure and efficiency, and they thrive when they can analyze, compare, and manipulate numerical relationships in meaningful and challenging ways.

Nonverbal Divergent Processing: Students who qualify in this area process information primarily through visual-spatial reasoning, pattern recognition, and intuitive problem-solving. They are often acutely observant and excel at identifying relationships, inconsistencies, or systems that others might miss. Unlike traditional academic high performers, these students may not consistently succeed in classroom settings because their strengths do not align with how schools typically teach or assess learning. They are not necessarily skilled in drawing or the arts, but they often think in images, structures, or moving parts instead of words. Because their thinking is often nonlinear or unconventional, they can be misunderstood as unfocused, disengaged, or even struggling. These students benefit most from environments that value flexibility, visual representation, hands-on exploration, and alternative ways to show understanding.

Academic Advancement in Mathematics: Students identified in Advanced Academics for Mathematics acquire mathematical skills and abstract concepts at a rapid pace. They excel in procedural fluency, logical reasoning, and executing structured mathematical tasks. Rather than processing information in a fundamentally different way, these students absorb material at a significantly faster rate and with greater depth of understanding than their same-age peers. However, because their speed can easily mask underlying gaps, they still require explicit instruction and structured guidance to ensure complete conceptual mastery.

Academic Advancement in Reading Language Arts: Students identified in advanced academics for mathematics acquire mathematical skills at a rapid pace. They excel at procedural learning and completing traditional tasks in reading and writing. These students are not processing information in a fundamentally different way, but rather at a significantly faster rate or with greater depth of understanding than same-age peers. Without explicit, step-by-step instructions, these students may struggle or develop gaps in their understanding that can easily be missed due to their natural pace of learning.

To ensure no student is overlooked, every 2nd-grade student in Amarillo ISD is assessed using quantitative data for an academic need for support through Gifted and Talented services. All 2nd-grade families will receive the data collected and reviewed for their child.

Families of students with a suspicion of an academic need for support through GT services will receive a Parent Input Form to collect qualitative data. The quantitative and qualitative data will be reviewed by a committee trained in Gifted and Talented support, consisting of parents, teachers, instructional coaches, and administrators. The committee reviews all data to determine a preponderance of evidence of an academic need for support. Committee determinations will be sent home with the student and mailed via USPS to the address listed in Skyward.

2nd Grade Universal Assessment Timeline:

• Testing Window (Completed in 2nd Grade Classrooms): October 13, 2026 - October 27, 2026
• Quantitative Data Communication Delivered to Schools: November 13, 2026
• Completed Teacher and Parent Input Forms Due to GT Department: December 4, 2026
• Determinations Sent to Families: On or before January 29, 2027

Parents, teachers, or additional school staff may refer a student in Kindergarten, 1st grade, or 3rd–12th grade for assessment of an academic need for support through GT services. 2nd grade is excluded from this referral process due to universal testing in that grade level.

Assessment of an academic need for support relies on quantitative and qualitative evidence, which is reviewed by a committee trained in Gifted and Talented support. Quantitative evidence is collected through testing administered at your child's campus by the GT department and academic data collected throughout the school year. Specific testing dates are not shared with families due to frequent scheduling adjustments for school events, space availability, and student or staff absences. Given that testing spans all 52 campuses, an extensive testing window is required.

Qualitative evidence is collected from both the teacher and parent. GT referrals occur later in the school year, with a single district-wide deadline, allowing teachers maximum time to gather comprehensive evidence that accurately reflects the student.

Families will be informed of the determination of an academic need for support via a letter sent home with the student and mailed to the address listed in Skyward by the last day of school. If a student qualifies for services, the campus is notified to ensure proper placement with GT peers and a GT trained teacher for the upcoming school year.

GT Referral Timeline:

• Completed Teacher and Parent Input Forms Due to GT Department: January 29, 2027
• Districtwide Testing Window: February 1, 2027 - April 29. 2027
• Determinations Sent to Families: On or before May 28, 2027

Quantitative data is collected for all GT referrals and all 2nd-grade students and consists of two prongs. The first prong is an assessment measuring a student's innate processing patterns. This assessment evaluates how a student thinks and cannot be studied for. We look for indicators of an academic need for support when a student's pace or processing style falls significantly outside the norm. Unaddressed, these differences can cause students to become disengaged due to an mismatched learning style, or cause a rapid learning pace to create unnoticed learning gaps that surface in later grades.

The second prong consists of academic data collected during the regular school day. This data helps identify learning and classroom performance patterns to confirm whether an academic need for support exists that could put the student at risk.

Both prongs look for an imbalance in a student's learning pace or process to ensure support is reserved for students who require it to succeed, rather than students who are simply high performing without support.

Qualitative data is collected through teacher and parent input forms, which capture adult reflections on student behaviors. Each form is reviewed to identify consistent patterns across both home and school settings in five common areas where GT students may be at risk: divergent processing, pace of learning, asynchronous development, motivation, and engagement in learning. While a student does not need to demonstrate a need for support in all five areas, a consistent pattern of behavior in at least one area must be present to establish a preponderance of evidence indicating a need for individualized support from a teacher specially trained in the unique needs of GT students.

The Texas State Goal for Services Provided for Gifted and Talented Students states:

"Students who participate in services designed for gifted/talented students will demonstrate skills in self-directed learning, thinking, research, and communication as evidenced by the development of innovative products and performances that reflect individuality and creativity and are advanced in relation to students of similar age, experience or environment."

To help students reach this goal, Amarillo ISD students who receive academic support through Gifted and Talented services work toward independent mastery of aligned standards in four key areas: creative thinking, critical thinking, research skills, and social/emotional skills. Qualified students practice these grade-level GT standards throughout the school year within their core curriculum classes through differentiated instruction and assignments.

Twice a year, each student’s progress on these standards, along with academic growth data, is reviewed to ensure they do not require additional assistance beyond the in-class support provided by GT-trained teachers. Teachers track growth to ensure upward trends aligned with each child's individual strengths, while also reflecting on their classroom support strategies to meet the student's specific needs.

Rather than assigning separate tasks solely because a student is identified as GT, innovative products and performances serve as purposeful tools to measure individual growth, often within existing coursework. These outcomes can be measured from the assignments completed by all classmates or specifically designated assignments, allowing GT students to demonstrate mastery at a more advanced, sophisticated, and creative level. This approach ensures daily work fosters specific strengths while providing the structured support needed to develop balanced learning habits.