LEAP Gifted & Talented

Non-CFB Students will be charged a non-refundable fee of $100 to cover the cost of testing materials and proctors for screening.

• Applicants will be emailed instructions on how to pay online

Students meeting the initial LEAP screening criteria will move forward to formal identification and assessment. To also ensure you have alternative educational options should LEAP not be recommended for your child, we encourage you to apply to all other Programs of Choice that align with their needs and interests.

Prerequisite Skills for LEAP Testing: Students Entering Kindergarten

All kindergartners enrolled in CFBISD are screened for GT services in the fall semester. LEAP testing is only recommended for students who are reading 1-2 grade levels advanced and have mastered basic math concepts. Testing duration varies based on the student's age and the required data.

Students should demonstrate high academic ability and should have already mastered many kindergarten concepts. Examples of mastery are listed below.

Students entering kindergarten should have the ability to:

• Read and comprehend beyond phonetic/early reader text such as Go Dog Go, Hop On Pop, and Bob books
• Retell short stories without referring to the text
• Share the main idea of a story
• Verbally formulate ideas in complete sentences. Write sentences to express their thoughts and ideas with rich vocabulary and beginning understanding of writing conventions
• Demonstrate basic understanding of advanced math concepts, such as:
  • Recognizing fractional parts
  • Pattern recognition
  • Addition and subtraction
  • Measurement- inch, foot, centimeter and Money- penny, nickel, dime, and quarter
  • Charts and graphs, interpreting simple data
  • Problem solving, including extrapolating important information from word problems
  • Identify and classify 2D and 3D shapes
  • Tell time to the hour and half hour
  • Skip count by 2’s, 5’s and 10’s
  • Place value of whole numbers: ones, tens, hundreds

Students must be fluent readers to be successful in the spring/summer testing. The following is an example of a passage they should be able to read without help. They should also be able to correctly answer questions about the story.

Bob’s class went to visit a fire station. One of the firemen was at the door. He said he was happy to see the class. He showed the class a big fire truck. Then, he showed them a car. The car and the truck were both red. The big truck had a long ladder on it. Then the class went back to school. They were very happy. They told their teacher they wanted to go again.

If your child has mastered the above concepts, he or she may be a candidate for LEAP testing.

Prerequisite Skills for LEAP Testing: Students Entering First Grade

All first graders enrolled in CFBISD are screened for GT services in the fall semester. LEAP testing is only recommended for students who are reading 1-2 grade levels advanced and have mastered basic math concepts. Testing duration varies based on the student's age and the required data.

Students should demonstrate high academic ability and should have already mastered many first grade concepts. Examples of mastery are listed below.

Students entering first grade should have the ability to:

• Read and comprehend beginning chapter books, such as Magic Tree House, Magic School Bus, A to Z Mysteries, etc.
  • Some features of this level of text include but are not limited to:
    • Full pages of text, with an average of approximately 10 words per sentence
    • Complex sentences with more specialized vocabulary
    • Illustrations are often used to extend meaning, rather than to make meaning of the text
    • Breaks in characters’ dialogue
  • Retell short stories without referring to the text
  • Share the main idea of a story
  • Verbally formulate ideas in complete sentences
  • Write several sentences to express their thoughts and ideas with advanced vocabulary and beginning understanding of writing conventions
  • Demonstrate basic understanding of advanced math concepts through computation, as well as through explanation, such as:
    • Recognizing fractional parts
    • Geometry beyond basic shapes, including pattern recognition, classify 2D and 3D shapes
    • Solve one-step and multi-step addition and subtraction problems
    • Measurement- inch, foot, centimeter, meter, etc.
    • Time and Money- hour, half hour, penny, nickel, dime, and quarter
    • Charts and graphs, interpreting simple data
    • Problem solving, including extrapolating important information from word problems
    • Place value of whole numbers: ones, tens, hundreds
    • Understands that multiplication is repeated addition

Students must be fluent readers to be successful in the spring/summer testing. Following is an example of a passage they should be able to read without help:

The Friendly Dolphin
I’m a friendly dolphin living in the sparkling blue waters near the coast. My beautiful gray mother and I swim in the water side by side. Our sleek bodies turn with a flick of our powerful flippers. One day, my mother and I swam near a white sandy beach filled with happy families. “Mom, let’s see how fast we can go!” I exclaimed. As we sped just below the surface, our top, or dorsal, fins sliced through the water. “Eek! Look out!” screamed the children swimming nearby. The children and their parents turned in terror and splashed in panic toward the beach. “Why did the families bolt for the beach, Mother?” I asked sadly. “All they saw was your fin. I think it’s time to use your strong tail to propel you from the water,” she added. “When they see you leap in a graceful arc, they’ll see that you are a dolphin.”

Examples of comprehension questions students should be able to correctly answer and justify:

• How did the young dolphin feel when the people bolted for the beach? How do you know? (Text evidence)
• Why do you suppose the dolphin was sad when the people bolted? (Inference)
• What were the families thinking when they first saw the fin at the surface of the water? (Inference)
• What do you think the young dolphin will do the next time he sees people in the water? (Prediction)

If your child has mastered the above concepts, he or she may be a candidate for LEAP testing.

Prerequisite Skills for LEAP Testing: Students Entering Second Grade

LEAP testing is only recommended for students who are reading 1-2 grade levels advanced and have mastered basic math concepts. Testing duration varies based on the student's age and the required data.

Students should demonstrate high academic ability and should have already mastered many second grade concepts. Examples of mastery are listed below.

Students entering second grade should have the ability to:

• Fluently read and comprehend chapter books
  • Identify characters’ feelings and how characters change throughout the story
  • Identify the author’s purpose
  • Cite text evidence when justifying answers
  • Make meaning beyond the text, such as drawing conclusions, making inferences and predictions, and making generalizations
• Share the main idea of a story, as well as supporting details
• Verbally express ideas in complete sentences
• Write several sentences to express their thoughts and ideas with advanced vocabulary and with strong command of writing conventions
• Demonstrate basic understanding of advanced math concepts, such as:
  • Beginning computation with fractions
  • Geometry, including vocabulary such as “vertices”
  • Pattern recognition and extension
  • Memorized addition and subtraction combinations of numbers that make 20 without using fingers to count
  • Demonstrate multiple ways to solve addition and subtraction problems
  • Multiplication and division, developing fluency with basic multiplication and division facts
  • Telling time on digital and analog clocks, to the five minutes
  • Calculating elapsed time
  • Measurement- inch, foot, centimeter, meter, etc.
  • Money- penny, nickel, dime, quarter, etc.
  • Charts and graphs, interpreting data
  • Problem solving, including extrapolating important information from word problems

If your child has mastered the above concepts, he or she may be a candidate for LEAP testing.

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In order to be considered for LEAP screening, students enrolled in Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD must be GT identified as an Advanced Learner in both Math and Language Arts. In addition, performance on MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) needs to show that the student is within the 95th percentile or higher in Reading and Math. If the student is not currently enrolled in CFB, standardized test scores will be requested that demonstrate high achievement in math and reading. If standardized test scores are unavailable, a brief pre-screening would be warranted to determine the appropriateness of further screening. 

If it is determined that a student should move forward with LEAP screening, please keep in mind that screening times can range from 1 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours depending on the age of the student, the pace in which they work, and the combination of screening instruments utilized. Each student's screening protocol will vary depending on the data submitted with the LEAP Interest Form. The length of time with the examiner is an estimate and is provided to the parent and campus as a courtesy. The amount of time spent with the examiner does not suggest or indicate anything negative or positive about how the student has performed. 
 

LEAP assessment occurs when screening data suggests an academic need is present and a full assessment is warranted in order to obtain a more comprehensive picture of the student's strengths. The LEAP assessment consists of an individually administered, clinical instrument designed to assess the cognitive ability and problem solving processes of children. Index scores provide estimate of ability in several distinct, but related, area of cognitive functioning. The LEAP assessment can only be administered by a psychologist, a licensed specialist in school psychology, or an educational diagnostician. 

When a student is recommended to move from LEAP screening to LEAP assessment, all results are reviewed by an Admission, Review and Exit (ARE) Committee. This committee is made up of at least one administrator, a counselor, the LEAP GT Specialist, and a LEAP teacher. Identification/placement decisions are based on the preponderance of evidence from the quantitative and qualitative data. Parents are notified of the placement results and will receive a copy of their student's scores via mail. 

The LEAP screening is made up of both quantitative and qualitative data as required by the Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted and Talented Students. Students may be administered achievement as well as general ability depending on the data which was submitted with the LEAP Interest Form. (For example, if a student's MAP scores are within the expected LEAP range of 95th percentile or higher, then further achievement screening would not be pursued.) Students will be asked to use skills in writing, reading, mathematics, and logic. Above level math testing will be conducted starting with students in the second semester of their first grade year and older. Familiarity with basic math calculations, problem solving, facility with charts and graphs, knowledge of money, time and measurement are all areas that will be screened. Above-level math screening is one piece of information that helps estimate how proficient the student would be in accelerated math. 

Data obtained during the screening will be evaluated by specialists who have been trained in the gifted identification process. If the preponderance of data suggest that the student demonstrates an academic need for a highly rigorous and accelerated academic program he/she will be recommended for an in-depth assessment which consists of an individually administered IQ test. If an academic need is not demonstrated, based on data collected, further assessment will not be recommended. If an academic need is not demonstrated, based on data collected, further assessment will not be recommended. Screening decisions cannot be appealed. Parents are welcome to apply again during the next academic year if prerequisite criteria have been met. 

While outside/independent test scores may be used to meet pre-screening benchmarks, only testing conducted in CFBISD by Advanced Academics employees will be accepted for final identification/placement. 

Due to copyright laws and testing ethics, copies of record forms cannot be released nor can specific testing questions be discussed. All testing items are confidential. 
 

It is crucial to avoid any form of test preparation, including study guides, practice materials, and online test prep websites. These can artificially inflate scores and hinder the ability to accurately assess a student's true cognitive potential. Heavy test preparation calls into questions the validity of the obtained scores and will be discussed thoroughly at the ARE Committee if suspected. Students involved in a great deal of test prep prior to the assessment day typically arrive already exhausted from the preparation and with a great deal of anxiety regarding their performance. 

The best way to ensure your child has a positive experience is to let the child know that they will be doing activities to determine what they already know as well as how they think and solve problems. Please be sure your child has a good night's rest, a nourishing breakfast, and brings a water bottle and a sweater to be comfortable. 

Students who meet the initial LEAP screening criteria proceed to the formal identification and assessment process. This formal identification decision, determined by an Admissions, Review, and Exit (ARE) committee, is eligible for the appeals process. However, the results of the initial screening are not appealable.

A parent/guardian, student, or educator may appeal a final decision of the Admissions, Review, and Exit (ARE) committee regarding selection for or exit from the gifted and talented program. The appeal process is designed to ensure that appropriate decisions are made in the best interest of students and according to district guidelines. Level One Appeals shall be made to the campus Admissions, Review, and Exit (ARE) selection committee. Any subsequent appeals shall be made to the district in accordance with FNG(LOCAL) beginning at Level Two. 

Conditions for appeals:

• A belief that a misinterpretation of the test data has occurred
• An inequitable or inappropriate application of the identification process is alleged
• Substantial evidence that, when added to the existing information, creates a compelling "preponderance of evidence" regarding the student's need for program services should be considered

If the parent/guardian, student, or educator is not satisfied with the decision of the campus selection committee, he/she may make a Level One Appeal.

Procedure for Level One Appeal:

Level One Appeals shall be made to the campus Admissions, Review, and Exit (ARE) selection committee by contacting the GT Specialist for their child’s campus.

• Find a GT Specialist by Campus
• Parent/guardian, student, or educator completes the online appeal form within 15 business days from the postmark date on the GT assessment report.
• Person initiating the appeal submits additional documentation/evidence to support the appeal to the campus counselor.
  • No additional documentation/evidence may be submitted after the Level One Appeal.
• Advanced Academics notifies the person initiating the appeal of receipt of the form and/or additional documentation.
• Additional testing may require based on an appeal, but additional testing and/or data collection is not guaranteed. The campus committee determines when additional testing is necessary.
• Advanced Academics notifies the person initiating the appeal of the committee's Level One Appeal response in writing within 10 business days of the original appeal request. 

Procedure for Level Two Appeal:

If the parent/guardian, student, or educator who is not satisfied with the decision of the Level One Appeal, he/she may make a Level Two appeal through the GT Specialist serving their child's campus.

• Parent/guardian, student, or educator who is not satisfied with the decision of the Level One Appeal, may initiate a Level Two Appeal to the GT Specialist who serves their child's campus.
  • Find a GT Specialist by Campus
• The GT Specialist will contact the initiator for a mandator conference prior to beginning the level Two Appeal process. The conference should occur within 10 days of the notification of the ARE committee's Level One Appeal decision. 
• Parent/guardian, student, or educator completes the online Level Two Appeal form within 10 business days from the written Level One Appeal response.
  • No additional documentation/evidence may be submitted after the Level One Appeal.
• The Director of Advanced Academics notifies the person initiating the appeal of receipt of the form.
• The District Appeals Committee notifies the person initiating the appeal of the committee's decision in writing within 10 business day of the Level Two Appeal request. The updated GT Assessment report is mailed to the parent/guardian of the student. 

If the parent/guardian, student, or educator is not satisfied with the decision of the Level Two appeal, he/she may file a complaint or grievance in accordance with FNG (Local) beginning Level Three.

In some extenuating circumstances, it may be determined by the campus Admission, Review and Exit Committee to be in the best interest of the student to remove him/her from the program temporarily by granting a “furlough” status for a specific period of time up to a year. The campus ARE committee will review the student’s placement status at the end of the furlough period, at which time the student should be returned to the gifted and talented program or formally exited. If the student exits, the exit procedure will be followed. Parent/s or guardian/s are notified of all procedures and signature is required.

Once a student is placed in the gifted and talented program, he/she will most likely continue in the program. If, however, it becomes evident that an error has been made in the placement of a student, the student is consistently non-productive, or exhibits behavioral problems inhibiting the learning of other students, it may be in the best interest of the student to exit him/her from the program. All methods of intervention must be utilized before the Admission, Review, Exit Committee determines and proceeds with formal exit. Parent/s or guardian/s are notified and involved in intervention strategies. The final exit decision should be based on educational, psychological and personal reasons with no single criterion as the determining factor for exiting the students. If formal exit is deemed appropriate by the ARE committee, parents are notified and signature is required.

Students new to the district who are nominated for the gifted and talented program may be screened after a six-week waiting period. Students entering the district from another gifted program must meet the criteria established by the Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD. Those transferring from another gifted program may expedite the process by providing assessment information from their previous school.
Participation in any program or service offered for gifted and talented students is voluntary on the part of each student and requires written permission of their parent/s or legal guardian/s.