• Identification 

    Identification of students is conducted, not to label students as gifted, but rather to locate students who have specific needs which can be more effectively met through differentiated instruction in the EXPO program. 

    The identification and selection of students for participation in the program is determined by a three-step process:

    1. referral/nomination

    2. assessment

    3. selection

    The final placement decision is made by the District G/T Selection Committee.

    Referrals/Nominations:
     
    Nominations may come from faculty, parents, or community members. Persons nominating students must complete a general Referral Form and submit it to the school office or the campus EXPO specialist. This will begin the process of data collection from various sources regarding the child's ability and potential. After the referral is received at the campus, a packet of information will be sent to the parent.  Please see the EXPO Forms link for a copy of the Referral Form.
     

    Elementary:   The campus EXPO Specialist will accept nominations for students in kindergarten in November. Those students nominated will be tested in January and February.  Referrals for students in grades one through five are an on-going process. Nominations will be accepted at any time.

    Secondary:   The campus EXPO Specialist will accept nominations only during Referral periods.  Please see the EXPO Testing Dates link for more information concerning the specific dates for secondary referrals.
     
    Testing: 
     
    Elementary:  In grades one through five, there will be two testing sessions, one in the fall and one in the spring.
    • The first testing session will be reserved for students transferring into Denton from a gifted/talented program in another school district.
    • The second testing session will be reserved for testing of students in grades one through five.
    • Kindergarten students will be tested during the third testing session.
    • The fourth and fifth testing sessions will be reserved for testing of students in grades one through five.

    All kindergarten students are considered for assessment by the EXPO program and will be involved in assessment activities conducted by the regular classroom teacher and the EXPO specialist during the fall semester. At the end of the general assessment period, a pool of kindergarten students will be selected for further assessment based on teacher observation, student performance in the classroom, and/or parent referrals.

    All first grade students are also considered for assessment by the EXPO program and will be involved in an assessment during the fall.  
     
    Secondary:  In grades six through twelve, there will be two testing sessions, one in the fall and one in the spring.
    • The first testing session will be reserved for students transferring into Denton from a gifted/talented program in another school district.
    • The second testing session will be reserved for testing of students in grades six through twelve.
    • The fourth and fifth testing sessions will be reserved for testing of students in grades six through twelve.
     
    Selection: 
     
    The final placement decision is made by the District G/T Selection Committee. 
     

    Transfer Students

     
    Students transferring to the Denton Independent School District from a gifted and talented program in another district will be assessed to determine if placement into the EXPO Program will be the best way to meet educational needs. The campus EXPO Specialist will assess all transfer students within six weeks/thirty school days of enrollment and written notification of participation in a district's gifted and talented program. Information requested from other schools includes qualitative data showing placement into their gifted program and the years served in the program. Transfer students must meet the criteria set by the Denton Independent School District's Gifted and Talented Program. If the district criteria are not met, the student will not be placed into the EXPO program.

     

    Student Numbers - There is no enrollment cap for the amount of students that can enter the EXPO program. If a child meets the district's criteria for placement, they may enter the program regardless of how many students are already in the program. Therefore, if a student does not place into the program, they can test again 12 months after their last assessment.

    Once a student has placed into the program, they do not need to be tested again. They remain in the program until high school graduation.

    Test Results - Every parent is welcome to review their child's specific scores and ask questions about the results by scheduling an appointment with the EXPO teacher.

    Testing is not the same as EXPO Class - Many of the younger students mistakenly believe that coming to the EXPO classroom for an assessment means that they are already participating in the EXPO program. This is not the case. Actual placement and services will begin only after the scores have been approved by the committee and parent permission has been granted for the student to begin classes.