Supporting your G/T student in meetings

As parents, it is important to advocate for your children in their various programming meetings. Programming meetings are specialized meetings where the campus discusses the supports that are provided for your student. These meetings are very important because they help the school adjust the curriculum to meet the needs of your child and to provide a more equitable environment. The Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented Students requires that all children in special populations that are also G/T students have their needs met when they take part in the academic setting. Your child may be receiving multiple services in addition to G/T services and all are important to the academic success of your child.

State Plan Guidance 

4.9 in the Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted Talented Students says “Educators adapt and/or modify the core or standard curriculum to meet the needs of gifted/talented students and those with special needs such as twice-exceptional, highly gifted, and English learners.”

G/T Focused Questions to bring to an ARD Meeting

Parents/guardians may choose to use any or all of these questions before, during, and after Admission, Review, Dismissal (ARD) Special Education meetings. Students receiving Gifted/Talented services must have their needs met in all specialized programs in addition to their Gifted/Talented services.

Before the meeting questions to ask and things to consider:

  • Before the meeting, it is important to consider the concerns or questions you have regarding your child. Making a list or documenting them in some way can be a helpful reminder for you to bring them up during the meeting.
  • What is the goal of the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meeting?
  • Can my child be a part of the meeting and what is their role in the IEP process? Some students exhibit asynchronous development (mismatch between cognitive, emotional, and physical development of gifted individuals) and may be able to effectively participate in the ARD even if they are under 14 years of age. This is important for the child to be able to discuss their services.
  • May I have a copy of the IEP for my child before the meeting? This is important so that you can begin checking to see what G/T and Special Education services are already in place for your child.
  • Who will be the qualified professionals that will take part in the meeting to assist with the other services my child receives (it is important to ensure that your child will have a representative that can speak to the G/T services taking place)?
  • Is it possible to provide evidence of my child’s progress and/or implementation of the IEP?
  • If the child’s behavior impacts their identified learning goals, please bring evidence of the discipline records to see how needs are currently being met.

During the meeting questions to ask and things to consider:

  • Try to get a clear understanding of your child's instructional accommodations and modifications. These are very important for your child to work at their full potential.
  • What are opportunities for acceleration and enrichment that exist for my child?
  • If you do not understand the acronyms or terms being used in the meeting, do not be afraid to ask for clarification.
  • Be sure to express your concerns during the meeting for the success of your child.
  • If you ever feel uncomfortable or anxious in a meeting, feel free to ask for a break or time to reflect.
  • What are ways that my child’s G/T services are embedded into their goals?
  • Will my child’s teachers be provided training in twice exceptional student nature and needs and a strengths-based approach to instruction?
  • What instructional strategies will be utilized in order to ensure that my student’s G/T needs are as much a focus of their instruction as their learning or behavioral challenges?
  • What are ways that I can assist my child at home with the identified goals?
  • How will my child’s progress be monitored and used in instructional decisions? How often will these checks take place and how will I be notified? What tools will be used to track the progress of my child’s IEP goals? This is important to ensure that the services are effective for both programs.
  • What are the observed strengths that my child has in the classroom (this would also be an excellent time to share things that you have seen at home; visit the Celebrate Your Child section of our website for more information)?
  • What are the G/T and Special Education services that take place for my child and how are they implemented to contribute to the success of my child?
  • What are some identified G/T goals that exist for my child?
  • What are some of the resources and types of learning experiences that my child takes part in typical classroom day? Sometimes lack of stimulation/engagement may contribute to underperformance or inappropriate behaviors.
  • What psychological support services can we include on my child’s IEP?
  • Who do I contact for questions on the G/T services and Special Education services that are taking place for my child (many times these will be two separate individuals)?
  • How are the Social and Emotional needs of my child met in instruction throughout the day?
  • If you do not agree with the decisions or what is happening during the meeting, you are free to ask for a recess and reconvene within 10 days. This may allow you to consult with other advocates if you feel your child’s needs are not being met.
  • Before you sign the final documents, feel free to ask the team to summarize the services that will be provided for your child in G/T and Special Education.

After the meeting things to consider:

  • How will regular communication of progress be made (e.g., progress reports, communication logs, etc.).
  • Talk to your child about how they feel in school and if they feel challenged. It is important that we consider the strengths of your child and how they are able to manifest themselves in the classroom.
  • Have your child share with you positive and negative thoughts they have in a school day.

ARD Resources:

Twice Exceptional (2E)

Acronym Database

Database of commonly used acronyms in special population meetings from Texas Project First.

Acronym Database  - Visit Site

G/T Focused Questions to bring to an LPAC Meeting

The purpose of the Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC) is to meet and:

  • Designate the language proficiency level of each limited English proficient student in accordance with the guidelines issued pursuant to §89.120(b) and (d) (relating to Program Content and Design);
  • Designate the level of academic achievement of each limited English proficient student;
  • Designate, subject to parental approval, the initial instructional placement of each limited English proficient student in the required program;
  • Facilitate the participation of limited English proficient students in other special programs for which they are eligible provided by the district with either state or federal funds; and
  • Classify students as English proficient in accordance with the criteria described in §89.1225(h) (relating to Testing and Classification of Students), and recommend their exit from the bilingual education or English as a second language program. 

It is important to understand that there are typically 3 meetings that may take place:

  1. Beginning of the Year Meeting: The first meeting is for new students to the country or who have been identified before in the state of Texas. 
  2. Middle of the Year Meeting: The next meeting is for all identified EL/LEP students to make decisions regarding state assessments.
  3. End of Year Meeting: The last meeting is the End of Year Review to make decisions related to the students' placement or if they will be reclassified and monitored.

A meeting must take place within 20 school days of your child’s enrollment into the school. 

Before the meeting questions to ask and things to consider:

  • Before the meeting, it is important to consider the concerns or questions you have regarding your child. Making a list or documenting them in some way can be a helpful reminder for you to bring them up during the meeting.
  • What are the types of training that the members of the committee have had prior to the meeting? Does this training include sessions on working with Gifted/Talented students and an understanding of the language/culture of my child?
  • If you are not able to attend the meeting, ask what types of training the parent advocate has had on G/T services and their understanding of the language/culture of your child.
  • What is an LPAC meeting? What are the benefits of the services for my child?
  • Why is my child being labeled as an EL student?
  • What are resources or training that you can access before the meeting to be more familiar with the decisions that are being made in the meeting?
  • Am I able to review some of the suggestions on the linguistic accommodations and modifications of instruction for my child by their teachers prior to the meeting? This is important to consider when analyzing the effectiveness of both the G/T and language supports.
  • Will there be a language interpreter or advocate for my child’s G/T services present in this meeting? This is relevant for any specialized services the child is receiving.
  • Can I have an overview of what was decided from the previous meeting? This will be good to determine how your child has been improving or the effectiveness of the supports.
  • What are opportunities for my child to receive G/T support in their native language if participating in a Dual Language Program?
  • What types of training has my child’s G/T Teacher received in instruction for EL students?
  • If your child is participating in a Dual Language Program, what are ways that the G/T services are provided in both languages? 
  • Can my child be a part of the meeting when academic performance or response to services is being discussed? Some students exhibit asynchronous development (mismatch between cognitive, emotional, and physical development of gifted individuals).
  • May I have a copy of the language supports that are currently being provided prior to the meeting? This is important so that you can begin checking to see what G/T and ESL services are already in place for your child.
  • Who will be the qualified professionals that will take part in the meeting to assist with the other services my child receives (it is important to ensure that your child will have a representative that can speak to the G/T services taking place)?
  • Is it possible to provide evidence of my child’s progress and/or implementation of their goals?
  • If your child’s behavior impacts their identified learning goals, please bring evidence of the discipline records to see how needs are currently being met.
  • What types of progress monitoring checks are provided that include considerations for my child’s language and G/T needs are used when determining the appropriateness of G/T services?
  • What are the multiple pathways to receiving G/T services that exist or how is my child’s language difference taken into consideration when being identified for G/T services?

During the meeting questions to ask and things to consider:

  • What are steps that were taken to help my child feel at ease before their testing?
  • What are the English Language services that exist on this campus and what are ways that my child’s G/T needs will be met in these service models?
  • What are some identified G/T goals that exist for my child and how do they affect my child’s language development?
  • How will my child’s G/T goals be included in their services and what are examples of the services (enrichment/acceleration) that take place for my child?
  • What are the data points to ensure that the appropriate decision is being made for STAAR testing and linguistic accommodations? If unnecessary accommodations are provided, this may delay the reclassification of your child.
  • Will my child have opportunities to receive advanced opportunities in class with language supports?
  • Was my child provided G/T support in their TELPAS assessment to ensure meaningful engagement in the language? What were the experiences provided when my child was assessed for the different components of TELPAS? Teachers and other educators use TELPAS to help them plan effective instruction for children. It is a measure of how well children are learning English and is not used to assign grades. Although TELPAS is not directly used as a measure to determine if G/T services are appropriate, it could be used as a way to analyze how a child performs in comparison to true peers.
  • What were the types of academic experiences provided to determine academic levels?  What was done to ensure the contextual and cultural relevance of the tasks? How were my child’s G/T services taken into consideration when taking part in these experiences?
  • What were examples of lessons that my child’s teachers used when determining which language supports were necessary?
  • Can I have a summary of the notes on the types of services that my child will be receiving in the classroom and for standardized testing?
  • Try to get a clear understanding as to what the linguistic accommodations and G/T services truly are for your child in instruction. These are very important for your child to work at their full potential. 
  • If you do not understand the acronyms or terms being used in the meeting, do not hesitate to ask for clarification.
  • Be sure to express your concerns during the meeting for the success of your child.
  • Will my child’s teachers be provided training in how to bring contextually and culturally relevant examples into instruction that are specific to my child? What are examples of how this occurs? This is important when your child does not speak one of the top two languages of need (Spanish and Vietnamese).
  • What instructional strategies will be utilized in order to ensure that my student’s G/T needs are as much a focus of their instruction as their language differences? Sometimes lack of stimulation/engagement may contribute to underperformance or the child being a selective consumer.
  • What are ways that I can assist my child at home with the identified goals?
  • How will my child’s progress be monitored and used in instructional decisions? How often will these checks take place and how will I be notified? What are ways to ensure that my language needs are supported in helping me interpret the information? What tools will be used to track the progress of my child’s language goals? This is important to ensure that the services are effective for both programs.
  • What are the observed strengths that my child has in the classroom? This would also be an excellent time to share things that you have seen at home; visit the Celebrate Your Child section of our website for more information.
  • Who do I contact for questions on the G/T services and English language services that are taking place for my child? Many times these will be two separate individuals.
  • How are the social and emotional needs of my child met in instruction throughout the day?
  • It is important to have a clear understanding of the decisions being made before the meeting ends. If you are not clear as to the final decisions, ask the committee for clarification.

After the meeting things to consider:

  • How often will these meetings take place and what is the earliest that I can review the goals and notes for the next meeting?
  • How will regular communication of progress be made (e.g., progress reports, communication logs, etc.)? What are ways that my language needs will be taken into consideration in this communication?
  • Talk to your child about how they feel in school and if they feel challenged. It is important that we consider the strengths of your child and how they are able to manifest themselves in the classroom.
  • Have your child share with you positive and negative thoughts they have in a school day.

LPAC Resources

G/T Focused Questions to bring to a Section 504 Meeting

Section 504 is a provision of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 that prohibits discrimination based upon disability. Section 504 is a civil rights statute that requires the needs of students with disabilities to be met as adequately as the needs of the non-disabled are met. The Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Education has jurisdiction to enforce Section 504 in instances of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation against anyone based on disability. Students receiving Gifted/Talented services must have their needs met in all specialized programs in addition to their Gifted/Talented services.

Before the meeting questions to ask and things to consider:

  • Before the meeting, it is important to consider the concerns or questions you have regarding your child. Making a list or documenting them in some way can be a helpful reminder for you to bring them up during the meeting.
  • Does the committee have access to all of the medical records or evaluations available when making educational decisions on your child?
  • Who is the school’s 504 coordinator?
  • What are the types of training that the members of the committee have had prior to the meeting? Does this training include sessions on working with Gifted/Talented students?
  • If you are not able to attend the meeting, ask what types of training the parent advocate has had on G/T services.
  • What is Section 504? What are the benefits of the services for my child?
  • Why was my child referred for Section 504? How is my child eligible for Section 504?
  • What are resources or training that you can access before the meeting to be more familiar with the decisions that are being made in the meeting?
  • Can I have an overview of what was decided from the previous meeting? This will be good to determine how your child has been improving or the effectiveness of the supports.
  • How will my child’s G/T services be taken into consideration when looking at the 504 accommodations and their frequency of implementation?
  • What types of training has my child’s G/T teacher received in Section 504 accommodations and student needs?
  • Can my child be a part of the meeting when academic performance or response to services is being discussed? Some students exhibit asynchronous development (mismatch between cognitive, emotional, and physical development of gifted individuals).
  • May I have a copy of the current accommodations that are in place for my child?
  • Who will be the qualified professionals that will take part in the meeting to assist with the other services my child receives? It is important to ensure that your child will have a representative that can speak to the G/T services taking place.
  • Is it possible to provide evidence of my child’s progress and/or implementation of their goals?
  • If your child’s behavior impacts their identified learning goals, please bring evidence of the discipline records to see how needs are currently being met.
  • What are the multiple pathways to receiving G/T services that exist or how is my child’s language difference taken into consideration when being identified for G/T services? This is extremely important in ensuring that a child is being given the best measures to determine a need for G/T services.

During the meeting questions to ask and things to consider:

  • What are the various accommodations that will take place for my child and what are ways that my child’s G/T needs will be met in these service models?
  • What are some identified G/T goals that exist for my child and how will the 504 accommodations and services be affected by the goals?
  • How will my child’s G/T goals be included in their services and what are examples of the services that take place for my child?
  • Will my child have opportunities to receive advanced opportunities (enrichment/acceleration) in class with appropriate supports in place?
  • How were my child’s G/T services taken into consideration when taking part in these experiences?
  • Try to get a clear understanding as to why the accommodations are necessary and how they will contribute to the success of your child. Share experiences your child has had to help the educator to determine what accommodations might work well or not with your child.
  • If you do not understand the acronyms or terms being used in the meeting, do not hesitate to ask for clarification.
  • Be sure to express your concerns during the meeting for the success of your child.
  • Will my child’s teachers be provided training in how to bring contextually and culturally relevant examples into instruction that are specific to my child? What are examples of how this occurs?
  • What instructional strategies will be utilized in order to ensure that my student’s G/T needs are as much a focus of their instruction as their other learning needs?
  • What are ways that I can assist my child at home with the identified goals?
  • How will my child’s progress be monitored and used in instructional decisions? How often will these checks take place and how will I be notified? This is important to ensure that the services are effective for both programs.
  • What are the observed strengths that my child has in the classroom? This would also be an excellent time to share things that you have seen at home; visit the Celebrate Your Child section of our website for more information.
  • Who do I contact for questions on the G/T services and Section 504 services that are taking place for my child? Many times these will be two separate individuals. Section 504 questions can also be answered the campus Section 504 Coordinator or the by the Office of Civil Rights.
  • How are the Social and Emotional needs of my child met in instruction throughout the day?
  • It is important to have a clear understanding of the decisions being made before the meeting ends. If you are not clear as to the final decisions, ask the committee for clarification.

After the meeting things to consider

  • Ask for a copy of the 504 plan that is in place for your child and monitor its effectiveness.
  • How often will these meetings take place and what is the earliest that I can review the goals and notes for the next meeting?
  • How will regular communication of progress be made (e.g., progress reports, communication logs, etc.).
  • Talk to your child about how they feel in school and if they feel challenged. It is important that we consider the strengths of your child and how they are able to manifest themselves in the classroom.
  • Have your child share with you positive and negative thoughts they have in a school day.

Section 504 Resources

Support

Technical Assistance: 504

This technical assistance guide is intended for use by Texas educators to support implementation of services for students with, or suspected of having, disabilities.
Technical Assistance: 504  - View PDF

G/T Focused Questions to bring to a G/T Meeting

Before the meeting questions to ask and things to consider:

  • Before the meeting, it is important to consider the concerns or questions you have regarding your child. Making a list or documenting them in some way can be a helpful reminder for you to bring them up during the meeting.
  • Who will be taking part in the G/T committee meeting?
  • What are the types of training that the members of the committee have had prior to the meeting? Do the participants in the meeting have their 30 Foundational Hours and are they current with their six-hour updates?
  • If you are not able to attend the meeting, ask what types of training the parent advocate has had on G/T services.
  • What is G/T? What are the service options that exist for my child? What are the benefits of the services for my child? What are opportunities that exist in the four academic core areas for my child?
  • What are resources or training that you can access before the meeting to be more familiar with the decisions that are being made in the meeting?
  • Can I have an overview of what was decided from the previous meeting? This will be good to determine how your child has been improving or the effectiveness of the G/T services.
  • How will my child’s G/T services be taken into consideration when looking at the instruction in the general school day?
  • What types of training has my child’s G/T teacher had in providing services?
  • Can my child be a part of the meeting when academic performance or response to services is being discussed? Some students exhibit asynchronous development (mismatch between cognitive, emotional, and physical development of gifted individuals).
  • May I have a copy of the current G/T accommodations and modifications that are in place for my child?
  • Who will be the qualified professionals that will take part in the meeting to assist with the other services my child receives? It is important to ensure that your child will have a representative that can speak to the different services they are receiving.
  • Is it possible to provide evidence of my child’s progress and/or implementation of their goals? What are ways that I can be supported in understanding the information provided to me?
  • If your child’s behavior impacts their identified learning goals, please bring evidence of the discipline records to see how needs are currently being met.
  • What are the multiple pathways to receiving G/T services that exist or how are the learning differences of my child taken into consideration when determining if services are appropriate? This is extremely important in ensuring that your child is being given the best measures to determine a need for G/T services.

During the meeting questions to ask and things to consider:

  • What are the various accommodations that will take place for my child and what are ways that my child’s G/T needs will be met in the classroom?
  • What are some identified G/T goals that exist for my child?
  • How will my child’s G/T goals be included in their services and what are examples of the services that take place for my child?
  • What are examples of the advanced products or performance options that exist in the four academic core areas?
  • What are opportunities that my child has for acceleration and enrichment in services?
  • Is my child provided with pre-assessments in their classrooms for teachers to be able to compact the curriculum? If so, what are examples of this and how did it affect the learning of my child?
  • What types of data and how is it used when grouping of G/T students takes place? 
  • What are opportunities for students to engage in authentic meaningful tasks in their G/T instruction?
  • Does my child have an opportunity to interact with experts in the field?
  • Try to get a clear understanding as to what the specific G/T services are for your child when talking about the academic and social emotional goals for your child.
  • If you do not understand the acronyms or terms being used in the meeting, do not hesitate to ask for clarification.
  • Be sure to express your concerns during the meeting for the success of your child.
  • Will my child’s teachers be provided training in how to bring contextually and culturally relevant examples into instruction that are specific to my child? What are examples of how this occurs?
  • What instructional strategies will be utilized in order to ensure that my student’s G/T needs are as much a focus of their instruction as their other learning needs?
  • What are ways that I can assist my child at home with the identified goals?
  • How will my child’s progress be monitored and used in instructional decisions? How often will these checks take place and how will I be notified?
  • What are the observed strengths that my child has in the classroom? This would also be an excellent time to share things that you have seen at home; visit the Celebrate Your Child section of our website for more information.
  • Who do I contact for questions on the G/T services?
  • How are the Social and Emotional needs of my child met in instruction throughout the day?
  • It is important to have a clear understanding of the decisions being made before the meeting ends. If you are not clear as to the final decisions, ask the committee for clarification.

After the meeting things to consider:

  • Ask for a copy of any specific G/T services that will be taking place for your child.
  • How often will these meetings take place and what is the earliest that I can review the goals and notes for the next meeting?
  • How will regular communication of progress be made (e.g., progress reports, communication logs, etc.).
  • Talk to your child about how they feel in school and if they feel challenged. It is important that we consider the strengths of your child and how they are able to manifest themselves in the classroom.

G/T Resources