Klein ISD Needs a Stand-Alone Gifted School
In 1977, the Texas Legislature introduced a plan to education gifted students, making funds available for gifted services in 1979. In 1987, all state school districts were mandated by law to identify and serve these students in all grade levels. The following is a proposal advocating the establishment of an independent building with the Klein Independent School District (KISD) that serves as Gifted and Talented campus in the district. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) along with state lawmakers continue to tweak their approaches to this law as the TEA is now in its fifth Gifted Plan draft plan. BEST believes there needs to be a school that serves the academic, social, and emotional needs of students with specialized experts dedicated to finding the latest evidence-based research to help these student achieve at their highest potential.
Research suggests that gifted and talented populations thrive most in a stand alone setting. Being in class with other learners is simply not the best instructional format for these learners.
First, Klein has a
wealth of great teachers in the district. Many of these teachers have
credentials in gifted and talented learning. These educators do not lack
passion. What they do lack is the right environment to foster the type of
learning experience gifted learners absolutely need in order to truly excel. When
gifted and talented learners are not challenged academically, there is a
tendency to regress both academically and emotionally. Many students still go unidentified as fewer and fewer
resources are allocated for this population.
No bird flies too high if he soars with his own wings. -Ralph Waldo Emerson