3-5 Service

Formal identification for AG services begins in the third grade. For students in grades 3 – 5, the AG Department provides pull-out enrichment or talent development services:

Pull-Out Enrichment

Eligibility for AG services is dependent upon multiple points of data. For the remainder of the GCS AIG Plan 2022-2025, when using EOC data for eligibility for grades 3-12 the scale score equivalent to level V for each grade level will be utilized instead of percentile scores. Students may attain eligibility through one of several pathways.     

Eligibility for Pull-Out Enrichment Service (3-5)  

Students are identified as AM, AR, AG, AIG or IG in all elementary schools according to the following criteria:

• For the remainder of the GCS AIG Plan 2022-2025, when using EOG/EOC data for AG eligibility in grades 3-12, the scale score equivalent for the lowest level 5 for each grade level will be utilized instead of percentile scores.  Additionally, when considering EOG/EOC data, Performance Tasks will not be used for Academically and Intellectually Gifted (AIG) identification.

 Once students become eligible for AG services in reading and/or math, students begin service as soon as the parent or guardian signs the Student Eligibility Record (SER). The SER gives the AG teacher permission to serve the student in a pull-out enrichment program for a minimum of 90-minutes weekly in each subject of eligibility. AG students are served in a small group setting, usually less than 20 students, by the AG teacher assigned to the elementary school. The AG teacher must hold North Carolina state add-on licensure to teach AG students.

In the pull-out enrichment program AG teachers use a curriculum that is based on the North Carolina standards. The units enrich and extend the curriculum taught in the regular classroom in grades 3 – 5. The lessons are based on over-arching concepts such as mathematics mindset, freedom, the arts, heroes, and diversity.

Talent Development

The AG department acknowledges the need to deliberately cultivate the ability of students to promote their academic success. To that end, elementary AG teachers provide talent development services that aim to increase AG identification of students from underrepresented populations. These services are provided to students in grades K – 5.

Participation in our Talent Development services is determined on an annual basis and is dependent upon student performance and scheduling capacity. Since talent development services is based on the student’s performance in their local environment (school), these services are not guaranteed should a child transfer to another school/school district during the school year.

Second Grade Whole Group Lessons

Throughout the school year, all second grade students in Guilford County Schools receive instruction from the AG teacher in order to foster creative and critical thinking skills. Instruction focuses on critical thinking and metacognitive skills and familiarizes students with test-taking stategies to ensure equitable opportunities for all students.  

Advanced Learners

Advanced Learner services are available at schools with a low number of AG identified students. The Advanced Learners program allows students, in grades 3 – 5, who did not meet the criteria for AG identification to receive pull-out enrichment services in the subject area for which they demonstrated a high level of achievement, at the 80th percentile or higher on a nationally normed assesment or a Level 4 on the EOG. Students participating in our Advanced Learner program will receive 90-minutes of weekly pull-out enrichment services from the AG teacher. Participation is based on space availability in the pull-out enrichment class, is reviewed annually by the school's TAG team, and is limited to the school for which student was deemed eligible. 

Maximizing Academic Potential (MAP):

The MAP program aims to improve the academic and critical thinking skills of students in grades 3 – 5. Students who were screened for AG services and did not meet the eligibility criteria, but demonstrate high achievement in their local learning environment may be considered for MAP services. These students must have an aptitude score at the 70th percentile or higher.  Additionally, students must have scored at the 70th percentile or higher on a nationally-normed assessment OR made a Level 3 or 4 on the reading and/or math EOG.  In our MAP program, the AG teacher provides 45-minute weekly sessions. Students receiving MAP services are entered in the AG Database and included in all district reports regarding talent development services provided by the AG Department. 

To provide consistency with the K – 2 Talent Development program, the grade 3 MAP program uses the Primary Education Thinking Skills (PETS) curriculum. The PETS curriculum addresses the following thinking skills, which also improve overall academic performance: convergent thinking; divergent thinking, visual thinking, and evaluative thinking.

At grade 4, the MAP program continues to help students build their cognitive thinking skills. Students participate in hands-on activities that further development the verbal, non-verbal, figural, and qualitative reasoning skills as well as problem-solving abilities.

At grade 5, the focus on the MAP program is to provide creative exploration into core subjects using integrated lessons. The grade 5 MAP program provides the critical thinking and academic skills needed to increase AG identification as these students transition to middle school.