When Hunter was in kindergarten, her teachers worried that she was too sensitive. She expressed fear or frustration at the slightest thing. It was a successful day if Hunter hadn't cried. Then one month before her sixth birthday, Hunter and her family moved to Boise, Idaho.
After only one day at Highlands Elementary in Boise, Hunter's teacher suggested that Hunter be tested for giftedness. "They used words like differentiation, ability grouping, gifted and talented, and they even mentioned accelerating her to first grade," recalls Hunter's mom, Deanna.
The Boise School District has been committed to gifted education since 1975. And by employing personnel specializing in gifted education, Boise schools have been offering gifted students many flexible options. These include full-time highly gifted classrooms; acceleration; its pull-out program, GATE; independent study opportunities; ability grouping; dual enrollment; early college admission; extracurricular opportunities like talent searches and research projects; rapid grade progression; and even a separate full-time program for the highly gifted.
According to Jo Henderson, Supervisor of Gifted Services for Boise schools, various things have contributed to the district's approach. Idaho mandates that districts must identify and serve the gifted. "School districts can't ignore it," says Henderson, "but they can interpret that in different ways. It's up to every school district to submit a plan for how they will address the issue."
The current state school budget also provides training opportunities to gifted personnel; the Boise district has received $40,000. These funds allow Henderson to bring in experts from around the country; it provides educators with current information, while sending a message to parents and educators that gifted education is a priority.
"We wanted the district to be the best it could be," says Henderson. "Gifted education is part of that. Because of that, we strive to create an exemplary program. It was crucial that our superintendent and others in our district saw the need, and were open to new ideas."
The Gifted Design Team was formed and recommended expanding the highly gifted program (IQ scores of 145 or higher) by providing individualized programs based on strengths and differences, appropriate pace of instruction and advanced and accelerated curricula. This full-time program now serves 72 students in six classrooms, in grades 1-6.
Anyone may refer a child for gifted screening - parents, teachers, or even the students themselves. A Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT), who works with both gifted and special ed students, utilizes a series of criteria, including IQ and achievement tests, critical thinking tests or portfolios, to evaluate that student's particular needs. They then work with the student and parents to discuss options.
The district's support of gifted education is reflected in the disclaimer on the Boise school district's web site about GATE, its pull-out program: "GATE is not provided as an honor nor a reward, but as an educational intervention for students who need it."
"We wanted a statement that says this isn't for compliance, it isn't a reward, but it's an intervention. Just like an intervention for a special ed student," explains Henderson. "This is an essential part of addressing the child's needs."
In just one year in Boise, Hunter has gone from an accelerated reading class, to an accelerated half-day combined with GATE, and finally, to a full-time highly gifted program. Here, she learns at her own pace, takes on research projects and learns alongside other gifted students. She no longer cries in class; she is excited about what she's learning, and wakes her mother up at 6 a.m. to share that excitement. "Our once shy, reserved, withdrawn daughter is radiant and alive," says Deanna.
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