Celina ISD provides many opportunities for further talent development:

• Academic Pentathlon
• Academic Decathlon
• National Junior Honor Society
• National Honor Society
• Student Council
• UIL Competitions
• Theatre Productions
• All City Middle School Honors Music Groups
• Pre-Advanced Placement
• Advanced Placement
• Community Service Opportunities
• GT Humanities (High School)

• Teachers and parents may refer a student to the GT program for evaluation during the designated windows.

• Gifted & Talented teachers on each campus will coordinate and administer testing. Testing will be completed by the end of November (Fall identification) and April (Spring identification). 

• Services for newly identified students will begin at the start of the following Fall and Spring semesters. 

• Transfer students who were identified GT in their previous districts may begin upon enrollment in school and approval of the GT campus committee.

• A committee composed of a campus administrator, counselor, and GT teacher will review the assessment results and determine placement based on the district GT matrix. Qualifying students must meet 2 out of 3 CogAT criteria as superior or exceptional and 2 out of 3 MAP criteria as superior or exceptional.  The District Selection Committees adopt a holistic review process to student data, evaluating both quantitative testing data and qualitative data gathered from parents and teachers. We consider district norms for Gifted and Talented Placement. 

• All parents who requested testing will receive either an acceptance or DNQ (did not qualify) letter.

• Parents of qualifying students must return the acceptance letter signed to the school campus Gifted & Talented teacher.

Celina ISD uses multiple measures to evaluate students for eligibility into the Gifted and Talented program. A combination of data is used, both qualitative and quantitative. 

• 1st-12th grades -Opens the first Monday of October, Window open for 3 weeks 

• Kindergarten -Opens the first Monday of January, Window open for 3 weeks

• Teacher Only (1st-12th)  Opens the first Monday of February, Window open for 2 weeks

• For students previously identified as GT by our district – no retesting required.  Once GT, always GT unless furloughed or requested to be exited.

Students may only be tested once per calendar year. (not school year) For example: A kinder student that was tested in Spring cannot be retested in the Fall of 1st grade)

Celina ISD Gifted and Talented has officially partnered with the Center for Gifted and Talented Development at Baylor University to offer our 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students Baylor TIP!

Baylor TIP’s mission is to identify exceptional talent in STEM and the humanities and provide world-class learning opportunities commensurate with students’ exceptional potential. Baylor TIP focuses on both the identification of talent through our assessments and the opportunity to develop talents through customized educational recommendations and out-of school options.

Student Program Overview

About the IAR

Baylor Tip Offerings Flyer

Goals

• Provide transformative learning opportunities to pre-collegiate students in STEM and the humanities.
• Identify and recruit diverse students from Texas and surrounding areas with the ability, interest, and motivation to achieve at exceptional levels.
• Prepare precollegiate students for exceptional achievement by integrating academic excellence and Christian commitment in a caring environment.

Talent Search Process

• Register for and take the Indicator of Academic Readiness (IAR 8/9) or Indicator of Academic Readiness. Tests will be taken online.
• After taking the assessment, students will receive a detailed score report with educational recommendations.
• All students who qualify for Baylor TIP are eligible to participate in enrichment and accelerated learning opportunities offered by the Center, including the University for Young People (UYP).
• 7th Grade students will be honored in a recognition ceremony, which will be held in May each year.

Qualifications Needed to Take the Baylor TIP Assessments

Students qualify to take our above-level assessments through any one of three avenues:

• score in the top 25% on one or more subtests of a state or national standardized exam (local norms are recommended but not required),
• be formally identified as gifted or talented by a district, or
• be recommended by a teacher, administrator, and/or parent.

Identifying Student Talent Baylor TIP offers two above-level assessments. Students who are qualified to take the assessments will complete:

Indicator of Academic Readiness (IAR 8/9) for 6th Graders OR
Indicator of Academic Readiness for 7th & 8th Graders
Baylor TIP Test
Manual Baylor TIP Info

Email Mrs. Galyon at mechellegalyon@celinaisd.com for more information about Baylor TIP in CISD.