The Paterson Academy for the Gifted and Talented at School 28 is for students throughout the city in grades 2-8 who have qualified at the highest level through the gifted screening and identification process. These students need the challenge of a curriculum with the highest rigor and expectations that will meet the students’ social, emotional, and academic needs. Students are grouped together in classrooms with other high-achieving students where they work at an accelerated pace in all core subject areas, as well as engage in additional differentiated lessons, activities and project-based learning. 

Referral

All students not previously identified shall be eligible for referral for the program each year. Referrals may be submitted by students themselves, teachers, parents or any person familiar with a student's abilities, potential, performance, and/or past records. Referrals shall be based on evidence of high level reasoning ability and/or the development of unique products that demonstrate unusual academic ability.

Students in the Paterson Public Schools will be assessed for Gifted and Talented starting in mid-February of each school year, using multiple measures that may include:

• Cognitive Abilities Test
• NJSLA scores
• Teacher Questionnaire
• Student Essay
• Unit Assessments
• Portfolio of Student Work
• Grade Point Average (Report Card)
• Attendance/Lates

Screening

The screening stage creates a pool of students twice the size which will be selected for the program.  It uses existing data on the students at target grade levels.

• Spring NJSLA results will be used for students currently in Grades 4-7 as a screening measure for achievement in academic areas assessed. *Some adjustment for ELA scores may need to be made in order to balance the size of the pools for each area.
• Unit Assessments will be used for students currently in Grades 1-3 as a screening measure for achievement in academic areas assessed.

Identification

This stage of the process requires the use of more off-level assessments to discern who top students are in each domain.  The Cognitive Abilities Test is used at all grade levels to find the most promising students in three domains: verbal, mathematical, and nonverbal.  Since the program will be organized in the three areas of Mathematics, English, and Science, these aptitude scores will be useful in rank ordering the students within each area for selection of the top 10% at a given grade level.  In addition to the COGAT, it is important to obtain teacher recommendations on these learners in their area of strength, with appropriate indicators for aptitude in these areas.

Students in the Paterson Public Schools will be assessed for Gifted and Talented starting in mid-February of each school year, using multiple measures that may include:
• Cognitive Abilities Test
• NJSLA scores
• Teacher Questionnaire/Recommendations
• Student Essay
• Unit Assessments
• Grade Point Average (Report Card)
• Attendance/Lates

Selection

A selection committee, whose members have received training in gifted education, will review all applications as they are received. This committee makes the final decision as to which students qualify for the program. It is important to ensure that underrepresented groups, inclusive of English language learners and those with Individualized Education Plans or 504 plans are considered for selection. The use of nonverbal measures and the use of domain-specific scores should help with inclusion. However, a selection committee will review the files of students selected for the program to ensure that these groups are represented, and evidence considered that would be important to their inclusion. Any new students entering the Paterson Public Schools who are identified from another school district and miss the spring identification sessions will be screened during the first six weeks of the school year. Students must be enrolled and attending to participate in the Identification Process. Parents/Guardians should call the Deputy Director of Accelerated & Innovative Programs to plan to have their child screened.