The Gadsden Independent School District presented an update on the gifted program, its identification process and referral counts.

Coordinator Cheryl Coyle described New Mexico's six recognized areas of giftedness (general intellectual ability, creative/divergent thinking, problem solving/critical thinking, specific aptitude/achievement, artistic ability and leadership) and explained the district's case-study referral process. She said staff received training and that referral flyers and parent information were distributed in English and Spanish.

Coyle said the district currently has 183 students identified for gifted services (various service levels) and 152 active referrals under the case-study process. She announced a new plan to screen all second graders with the NNAT3 (a nonverbal assessment) in January–February to identify additional candidates and to streamline the referral pipeline. Coyle proposed a periodic update to the board and suggested student presentations about program work at the Jan. 22 meeting.

Coyle emphasized that giftedness can include creativity, leadership and the arts, not only test scores, and described supports for parent consent and protective procedures used in the case-study approach.

No board action was required; staff will proceed with the screening schedule and convene campus liaisons and diagnosticians for testing and determination meetings.