Parent Nomination Information

Continuum of Service

K-2

Students are served in the general education classroom.  Differentiated instruction, flexible grouping, and enhanced learning opportunities are provided.   Gifted and Talented teachers visit classrooms for whole group instruction during the school year.

3-5

Students are served through pull out G&T services in the Challenge Program.  Eligible students spend 4 hours per week in a classroom with instruction focused on collaboration. communication, leadership, problem solving, critical thinking and creativity.

The gifted and talented program in Old Bridge Twp. Public Schools seeks to identify students who are in the top 3-5% using multiple measures as required by NJ state law.  Students who qualify as gifted in one area but don't qualify for the existing program structure will have their case reviewed and a determination will be made by the program directors as to how best to service their needs. 

Multiple Measures for Identification

There are four main areas that are examined to determine eligibility for gifted and talented services in grades 3-5:  recommendation, CogAT assessment score, district benchmark assessments, and paper-and-pencil Creativity Assessment. This data is collected during the spring of each school year.  

Recommendations

What assessment is used? 

Renzulli’s Behavioral Characteristics Scale for Teachers and Parents are used for recommendations. These scales are designed to obtain estimates of a student’s characteristics in the areas of learning, motivation, creativity, leadership, art, music, drama, communication (precision and expression), planning, mathematics, reading, technology, and science.

CogAT Test Score

What is the CogAT?  The CogAT (Cognitive Abilities Test) is a group-administered K–12 assessment published by Riverside Insights and intended to estimate students' learned reasoning and problem-solving abilities through a battery of verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal test items

District Benchmark Assessments

What assessments are used?

Easy CBM MCRC is used for reading. The Multiple-Choice Reading Comprehension measure (MCRC) is an untimed assessment that measures student comprehension of written text. These measures are designed for students in grades 2–8 and assess students’ literal, inferential, and evaluative comprehension of text. 

IXL Diagnostic Benchmark is used for math. This assessment pinpoints a student’s grade level proficiency in key mathematics strands to determine if they are above, on, or below grade level. 

Paper-and-pencil Creativity Assessment

What is a Creativity Assessment?

This is a test that requires students to produce multiple ideas for each question posed. It is used to assess multiple skills including fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration.

The window of assessment opens in the early Spring with parent and teacher recommendations.  The remaining assessments are given in the spring and notifications regarding eligibility are made by mid-August of each year.  Those wishing  to appeal the decision of the Challenge Committee, must complete the form  linked in letter of ineligibility within 30 calendar days.