Birdville ISD offers a continuum of GATE services for 1st-2nd grade students to help match the level of service to the student's identified educational needs.  

GATE Elementary Program Services-1st-2nd Grade

  According to TEA mandates, programming options must enable identified gifted and talented students to work together, work with other students, and to work independently throughout the entire school year.

Level I Services include teacher supported differentiation for appropriate growth.   Level I services are appropriate for student's whose data indicate they are an above-average learner or for students who have a strength in a particular content area.  Level I Services may include: 

• Clustering of gifted/high ability students in groups of five (5) or more in the general education classroom with a teacher who has completed required GT training
• Instructional materials that help enhance, enrich, and extend the grade level curriculum are provided by the GT Dpartment and used by classroom teachers based on the educational needs of each student
• Participation in extracurricular enrichment activities such as Destination Imagination, Battle of the Books, and Camp Invention.  Students who receive Level I services only are NOT formally identified GT by Birdville ISD

Level II Services involve more complex instruction and faster pacing for appropriate growth.  Level II services are appropriate for students whose data reflect high general intellectual ability and evidence of gifted behaviors and traits displayed by the student.  Students receive Level II services by:

• actively participating in weekly GATE pull-out classes.  GATE pull-out classes offer the students the opportunity to spend an extended period of time working with other identified GT students under the guidance of a GATE teacher who has received extensive training in working with gifted learners.  The curriculum used in GATE classrooms is designed around the GATE standards of independent learning, critical & creative thinking strategies, guided & independent research, social and emotional needs, and elements of depth & complexity.  First-Second Grade students attend GATE pull-out classes for approximately 2 hours each week on their home campus.  Students who receive Level II services are formally identified GT by Birdville ISD.  Students who receive Level II services should also receive Level I Services while in the general education classroom.

Level III Services involve acceleration for appropriate growth.  Level III services are appropriate for students whose data reflect advanced knowledge of the next grade level's curriculum without formal instruction.  Students must demonstrate advanced learning by getting a recommended score on a Credit by Exam (CBE) test as well as be recommended by a district representative for the acceleration placement to occur.  Because Credit by Exam (CBE) testing must occur prior to instruction in the grade levell, the majority of CBE testing for elementary students is completed during the months of June & July.

Read more about Credit by Exam testing

KINDERGARTEN GATE SERVICES:

Level I Services:   All kindergarten teachers should have completed required GT training and may provide differentiated instruction and enrichment of the core curriculum.  During the first semester, Primary Gifted & Talented Interventionists conduct a series of push-in lessons in all kindergarten classrooms.  These lessons are designed to elicit high-level thinking and gifted behaviors in young students.  Parents, classroom teachers, or gifted and talented interventionists may refer a kindergarten student to be screened for GATE services during the second semester.  The district establishes a timeline each school year for screening and formal identification for GATE services.  Read information about screening for GATE services

Level II Services:  Kindergarten students who are recommended for Level II GATE services begin participating in Level II services in first grade.  Pull-out classes offer GATE students the opportunity to work with cognitive peers for extended time under the direction of a Gifted & Talented Interventionist (GTI) that has received specialized training in working with gifted students.  Curriculum in pull-out classes focuses on the GATE Standards.  

Level III Services:  Grade level acceleration or telescoping in math (requires additional testing as well as a recommendation from a district representative).  Some students who have advanced learning in one or more subject areas may be a candidate for a full grade level acceleration or telescoping in math.  The guidelines for each type of acceleration are listed below:

• Grade level acceleration:
  • Credit by Exam testing in four core areas (mathematics, reading/language arts, social studies, and science). 
  • Testing must occur before any prior instruction in the grade level.
  • Students must score an 80% or higher on all four Credit by Exam tests.
  • In addition to scores from Credit by Exam tests, the Iowa Scales for Acceleration is completed as part of the data to determine if a grade level acceleration is the best placement for a student.

• Telescoping in math:
  • Credit by Exam testing in math only.
  • Testing must occur before any prior instruction in the grade level.
  • Students must score a 90% or higher.

Read more about Credit by Exam testing

Birdville ISD offers a continuum of GATE services for 3rd-5th grade students to help match the level of service to the student's identified educational needs

GATE Elementary Program Services-3rd-5th Grade

  According to TEA mandates, programming options must enable identified gifted and talented students to work together, work with other students, and to work independently throughout the entire school year.

Level I Services include teacher supported differentiation for appropriate growth.   Level I services are appropriate for students whose data indicate they are an above-average learner or for students who have a strength in a particular content area.  Level I Services may include: 

• clustering of gifted/high ability students in groups of five (5) or more in the general education classroom with a teacher who has completed required GT training
• instructional materials that help enhance, enrich, and extend the grade level curriculum are provided by the GT Department and used by classroom teachers based on the educational needs of each student
• participation in extracurricular enrichment activities such as Destination Imagination, Battle of the Books, and Camp Invention.  Students who receive Level I services only are NOT formally identified GT by Birdville ISD

Level II Services involve more complex instruction and faster pacing for appropriate growth.  Level II services are appropriate for students whose data reflect high general intellectual ability and evidence of gifted behaviors and traits displayed by the student.  Students receive Level II services by:

• actively participating in weekly GATE pull-out classes.  GATE pull-out classes offer the students the opportunity to spend an extended period of time working with other identified GT students under the guidance of a GATE teacher who has received extensive training in working with gifted learners.  The curriculum used in GATE classrooms is designed around the GATE standards of independent learning, critical & creative thinking strategies, guided & independent research, social and emotional needs, and elements of depth & complexity.  Third-Fifth Grade students attend GATE pull-out classes for approximately 5 hours each week at centralized HUB sites based on middle & high school feeder patterns.  Students who receive Level II services are formally identified GT by Birdville ISD.  Students who receive Level II services should also receive Level I Services while in the general education classroom.

Level III Services involve acceleration for appropriate growth.  Level III services are appropriate for students whose data reflect advanced knowledge of the next grade level's curriculum prior to formal instruction.  Students must demonstrate advanced learning by getting a recommended score on a Credit by Exam (CBE) as well as be recommended by a district representative for the acceleration placement to occur.  Because Credit by Exam (CBE) testing must occur prior to instruction, most elementary students complete CBE testing during the months of June & July.

Read more about Credit by Exam testing

• The curriculum used in Level II GATE Services (Pull-out services) is designed to align with the The Texas state goal for services for gifted/talented students:  "Students who participate in services designed for gifted/talented students will demonstrate skills in self-directed learning, thinking, research, and communication as evidenced by the development of innovative products and performances that reflect individuality and creativity and are advanced in relation to students of similar age, experience or environment."  GATE standards for self-directed learning, critical & creative thinking strategies, guided & independent research, social-emotional well being, and elements of Depth and Complexity have been developed for primary and intermediate GATE students.  In addition, a universal concept with generalizations is explored each school year.  Students engage in multiple project-based and problem-based learning experiences.  

  Students who actively participate in Level II GATE Services will receive a progress report at the end of each quarter grading period that measures their progress/performance in response to GATE services.  GATE Progress Reports will be posted in Skyward along with the student's report card.

Elementary Advanced Academic Options

Educational acceleration is one of the cornerstones of exemplary gifted education practices, with more research supporting this intervention than any other in the literature on gifted individuals.  The practice of educational acceleration has long been used to match high level student general ability and specific talent with optimal learning opportunities.

The purposes of acceleration as a practice with gifted students are:

1. to adjust the pace of the instruction to the students' capability in order to develop a sound work ethic,
2. to provide an appropriate level of challenge in order to avoid the boredom from repetitious learning, and
3. to reduce the time period necessary for students to complete traditional schooling.

Birdville ISD offers two advanced academic options for elementary students: Full grade level acceleration and acceleration in math (telescoping).  Click here for specific policies regarding Credit by Exam Testing.  Credit by Exam testing must take place without prior instruction  (before any formal instruction in the tested grade level begins).  Students must be enrolled and attending a Birdville ISD school before any Credit by Exam testing can occur.

• Students in Birdville ISD may pursue acceleration testing for telescoping in math (accelerating in math only) or full grade-level acceleration (grade-skipping) based on students' mastery of academic content and/or documented need for accelerated course content.

  Credit by Examination WITHOUT Prior Instruction (CBE for Acceleration) is administered to a student seeking credit for a course or grade level without receiving any prior instruction in the course(s).  Birdville ISD employees are not able to provide any resources that provide any sort of instruction to prep the student for taking a Credit by Exam test.

  An elementary student may test out of a grade level or math course with NO prior instruction if the following criteria are met in accordance with Board policy:

  • Telescoping in math (single subject acceleration in math): Credit by Exam assessments consist of one assessment for each year-long course.  To telescope in math, a student must meet the following requirements:
    • A student must earn 90% or higher on an approved Credit by Exam (CBE) Mathematics test for the grade level the student desires to accelerate past.
    • A student must be recommended for the acceleration placement by a district representative
    • A student's parents or guardian must give written approval of the acceleration
  • Full grade level acceleration (grade skipping):  Credit by Exam assessments consist of one assessment for each year-long course.  To accelerate out of a single grade level, a student must meet the following requirements:
    • A student must earn 80% or higher on an approved Credit by Exam (CBE) test for each of the core content areas (Mathematics, Reading-Language Arts, Science, Social Studies) for the grade level the student desires to accelerate past.  The first test that is given is Mathematics.  If the student does not earn 80% or higher on the Mathematics test, no additional tests are ordered and the testing process ends for the student.
    • A student must be recommended for acceleration by a district representative
    • A student's parents or guardian must give written approval of the acceleration

  Birdville ISD utilizes credit by exam assessment services from the University of Texas at Austin-UT High School, a Texas Education Agency (TEA)-approved assessment provider.  Exams are criterion-referenced tests that evaluate mastery of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for a specific subject or grade level.  UT High School provides study guides for each credit by exam test offered.  It is strongly recommended that parents review these study guides to familiarize themselves with the content that will be covered during the test and what the format of the test is like.  The study guides provide some practice questions that students can complete.  Access UT High School Credit by Exam Study Guides.

  Students may attempt Credit by Exam testing one time per school year and only during the designated testing windows/dates.  Please see the document below for Credit by Exam test dates for the 2023-2024 school year.  Because Credit by Exam testing must occur PRIOR to any instruction in the grade level/content that the student is trying to test out of, the majority of Credit by Exam testing for elementary students is done during the summer test dates.  

  Request Credit by Exam (CBE) testing for Summer 2024

If you are having trouble viewing the document, you may download the document.

• Birdville ISD charges a $25 fee to order the first Credit by Exam test for a student.  After the first Credit by Exam test is completed by the student, Birdville ISD will reimburse the $25 fee back to the original form of payment.  If a student fails to complete a Credit by Exam test after it has been ordered, the $25 fee will not be reimbursed.  

  Questions regarding Credit by Exam testing may be directed to the Coordinator of GT Services:  contact Stacye Onstott, Coordinator of GT Services

• Birdville ISD follows the Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted & Talented Students and collects multiple measures when screening students who may be in need of GATE services.  After data is collected, GATE Placement Committees for each campus meet to review the data for each student that was screened for GATE services.  Recommendations for GATE services are based on a review of the data that is collected during the screening process.  The recommended level of service is matched to the identified learning needs of each student screened.

  • Level I Services- include classroom teacher supported differentiation for growth.  Students who are recommended for Level I services are NOT formally identified by Birdville ISD as receiving gifted services and they do NOT attend the weekly GATE pull-out classes.  Level I students receive support in their general education classrooms with curricular enrichment, extensions, and enhancements that are made available to the classroom teacher.
  • Level II Services-include more complex instruction and faster pacing for appropriate growth.  Students who are recommended for Level II Services ARE formally identified by Birdville ISD as receiving gifted services and they DO attend the weekly GATE pull-out classes.  The weekly GATE pull-out classes are designed around the GATE standards of Independent Learning Skills, Critical & Creative Thinking Skills, Research Skills, Social & Emotional Development unique to gifted learners, and the Elements of Depth and Complexity.  During these pull-out classes, students have the opportunity to work with mental peers for an extended period of time with the district's Gifted & Talented Interventionists (GTI's), who have received extensive training in working with gifted students.  1-2 grade students remain on campus for their weekly pull-out class.  3-5 grade students participate in weekly pull-out classes at centralized locations throughout the district based on the student's high school feeder pattern.
  • Level III Services-includes acceleration for appropriate growth.  Level III services include additional testing.  Access more information about testing for Level III services here.

   

  Elementary Screening Timeline

  2024-2025

  Please note that this timeline may be altered as necessary due to unforseen circumstances.

  Timeframe	Details
  Fall Semester 2024	Primary Gifted & Talented Interventionists will push in to all kindergarten classrooms to provide learning experiences to  that are designed to elicit gifted behaviors and responses in young students.  These push-in lessons help serve as a universal screener for all kindergarten students who may need a formal screening process for GT services.
  October 7-25, 2024	3rd grade universal screener window, completed in student's general education classrooms.
  November 18-December 13, 2024	1st grade universal screener window, completed in student's general education classrooms.
  January 13, 2025	Referral period opens for K-5 students (this is the only referral period of the 2024-2025 school year)
  January 21, 2025	GATE Identification Info. Meeting for Parents 6:30-7:30 pm Location TBD
  January 23, 2025	GATE Identification Info. Meeting for Parents 6:30-7:30 pm Location TBD
  January 31, 2025	Referral period closes for K-5 students at 4 pm.
  February 10-March 13, 2025	Data is gathered on all referred K and 2 grade students for review by GATE Placement Committee Members
  March 10-13, 2025	Data is gathered on all referred 4-5 grade students for review by GATE Placement Committee Members
  April 2025	GATE Placement Committees for each elementary campus meet to review data collected on each referred student and make GATE service recommendations. Parents will be notified of GATE service recommendations via Focus
  May 2025	Parent Meeting for newly recommended GATE students

  Each school year, parents, guardians, and district personnel are invited to refer students for testing for GT services.  These services are designed to meet the unique intellectual and affective needs of gifted children. Before completing the referral form, you are encouraged to review the characteristics below to determine whether or not your child may benefit from gifted services.   While each gifted individual is still unique, most gifted children display many of these characteristics in the home and school environment.   Please note that while the statements below may be useful in guiding your decision in referring a child for screening, the decision to refer ultimately belongs to you./Cada año escolar, se invita a los padres, tutores y personal del distrito a recomendar a los estudiantes para que realicen pruebas de los servicios GT. Estos servicios están diseñados para satisfacer las necesidades intelectuales y afectivas únicas de los niños superdotados. Antes de completar el formulario de referencia, le recomendamos que revise las características a continuación para determinar si su hijo puede beneficiarse o no de los servicios para superdotados. Si bien cada individuo superdotado sigue siendo único, la mayoría de los niños superdotados muestran muchas de estas características en el entorno familiar y escolar. Tenga en cuenta que, si bien las declaraciones a continuación pueden ser útiles para guiar su decisión de derivar a un niño para una evaluación, la decisión de derivarlo en última instancia le pertenece a usted.

  

  Access the above information as a PDF
   

• Special Screening Situations

  Transfer students: If a student transfers to Birdville ISD that was identified for gifted and talented services in a previous district, that student will be screened for GATE services after verification of the GT identification from the previous district.  Data from the previous district that is less than two years old may be considered by the GATE Placement Committee.  If data is more than two years old, new data will be collected to determine if gifted services are appropriate.  If your child is a transfer student, please contact Stacye Onstott, Coordinator of Gifted Services.  Email Stacye Onstott. Be certain to include:  child's name, child's current grade level, child's previous campus and district, and child's current home campus in Birdville ISD.  If a student was identified for GATE services at one Birdville campus and transfers to another Birdville campus, that student will continue to receive GATE services.

  Special Education students: Data used to determine special education services for students may be used to help determine GATE placement as long as it is less than two years old.

  Outside Test Scores: GATE Placement Committees will consider test scores from assessments given outside the district as long as the testing occurred in a public or private educational setting. GATE Placement Committees do not accept test scores from private assessments for GT service consideration. 

  GATE Placement Committee Decision Appeal Process (FNG LOCAL)

  If a student is not recommended for GATE services by the GATE Placement Committee, a parent, student, or Birdville ISD personnel, may request a formal reconsideration of the decision if one of the following three criteria are met:

  • The home language of the student is not English, and there is evidence that this has impacted the results of the screening process.
  • The student has a disability as identified through an Admission, Review, Dismissal (ARD) or 504 committee that may have an impact on the screening process.
  • There is documented evidence that the student was experiencing emotional stress during the screening process due to a life change (ie divorce, death of a close family member, etc...)

  Level I Appeal Process

  • Parent, student, or Birdville ISD personnel must file a formal appeal  to the Coordinator of Gifted Services within 15 district business days of the receipt of the GATE Placement Committee’s decision, or if received during the summer, within the first 15 days of the school year.  Within 10 days of the receipt of the written Level I appeal, the original GATE Placement Committee members will reconvene to review student data collected during the screening process and consider additional information provided by the Level I appeal.  Based on a review of the data provided from the Level I Appeal, the original GATE Placement Committee members may uphold their original recommendation, make a new service recommendation, or request additional data be collected.  The original GATE Placement Committee will notify the person who filed the appeal in writing of the decision made.  **If the GATE Placement Committee decides to collect additional data for a student, that data may be collected at the start of the 2024-2025 school year. Access Level I Appeal Form

  Level II Appeal Process

  • If the parent, student, or Birdville ISD personnel did not receive the relief requested at the Level I Appeal Process, he or she may file a Level II Appeal.  After receiving notice of the appeal, the Level I administrator shall prepare and forward a record of the Level I Appeal, including all documentation submitted by the student or parent, as well as other documents relied upon by the Level I administrator in reaching the Level I decision, to the appropriate Level II administrator.  
  • The Level II administrator shall schedule a conference within ten days after the Level II appeal is received.  The conference shall be limited to the issues and documents presented by the student or parent at Level I.  No new documentation may be presented at Level II that was not made available at Level I.
  • The Level II administrator shall provide the student or parent a written response within ten days following the conference.
  • Level II appeal forms will be made available electronically if requested.

• What is Cognitive Abilities Testing (CogAT) and what is it designed to measure?

  Aptitude Test Scores:  These tests measure the level and pattern of cognitive development of a student compared to age peers. These general reasoning abilities, which start developing at birth and continue through early adulthood, are influenced by experiences gained both in and out of school.

   cognitive abilities are assessed using the three communication systems most commonly used in school (words, numbers, and figures/shapes):

  • The verbal (linguistic) section measures a child’s ability to remember and transform sequences of English words, to understand them and to make inferences and judgments about them.
  • The quantitative (mathematical) section measures a child’s understanding of basic quantitative concepts and relationships.
  • The non-verbal (spatial) section measures reasoning using pictures and geometric shapes. This section reduces the impact of language on the student’s score.

  In addition, a composite score is obtained for student who complete all batteries of the CogAT, indicating how he/she performed on the test overall.  The composite score is an indicator a child’s overall general intellectual ability.

  Scores are reported as Age Percentile Ranks for each battery.and the composite.  A percentile rank indicates the percentage of students in the same age group whose scores fall below the score obtained by a particular student. For example, if your student obtained a percentile rank of 90 on the verbal battery, it means that 90 percent of students in the standardized sample scored below your student.  A percentile rank of 50 is considered average.  Birdville ISD considers both national and building norms when recommending levels of GATE services.

  The scores on the three batteries make up a student's ability profile.  CogAT score profiles identify both the level of the student's scores and the pattern of scores across the batteries.  For more information regarding your child's ability profile, please access the Interactive Ability Profile Interpretation System.  

  La Prueba de Habilidades Cognitivas (CogAT) está diseñada para medir el nivel y patrón de desarrollo cognitivo de un estudiante en comparación con sus compañeros de la misma edad. Estas habilidades de razonamiento general, que comienzan a desarrollarse al nacer y continúan hasta la edad adulta temprana, están influenciadas por las experiencias adquiridas tanto dentro como fuera de la escuela. CogAT es una evaluación multidimensional y mide tres habilidades cognitivas diferentes:

  •  La sección verbal mide la capacidad de un estudiante de recordar y transformar secuencias de palabras, comprenderlas y hacer inferencias y juicios sobre ellas.
  • La sección cuantitativa mide la comprensión de un estudiante en los conceptos y relaciones cuantitativos básicos.
  •  La sección no verbal mide el razonamiento mediante imágenes y formas geométricas. Esta sección reduce el impacto del lenguaje en la puntuación del estudiante.
  • La puntuación compuesta es un total de las tres baterías y es una medida de la capacidad de razonamiento intelectual general de un estudiante.

  Los resultados de CogAT se informan como rangos de percentiles, lo que indica el porcentaje de estudiantes en el mismo grupo de edad cuyos puntajes caen por debajo del puntaje obtenido por un estudiante en particular. Por ejemplo, si su hijo(a) obtiene un rango percentil de 90 en la batería verbal, significa que el 90% de los estudiantes en la muestra estandarizada puntúan por debajo de su hijo(a). Un rango percentil de 50 se considera promedio medio.

Advanced Academics Mission

Birdville ISD offers an advanced and challenging curriculum through an array of learning experiences that provide greater depth and complexity than found in the district's core curriculum. As students progress through school, BISD offers opportunities for students to produce sophisticated, meaningful products and engage in valuable lived experiences in preparation for success beyond the BISD classroom.

Advanced Academics Program

Birdville ISD believes it is vital for students to have every opportunity to excel academically through rigorous and challenging courses. During the middle school years, identified gifted and talented students are served at the secondary level through Honors and Honors+ courses and during high school via Honors, Advanced Placement courses, Dual Credit, and/or Advanced Career Technology Education which provides options for students to excel in many areas of study. Students and parents should expect these courses to be challenging, thought provoking, rigorous, differentiated, and faster paced.

BISD embraces inclusivity as illustrated via College Board's equity and access policy which attests "all students deserve engaging, relevant, and challenging grade-level coursework. Access to this type of coursework increases opportunities for all students, including groups that have been traditionally underrepresented in AP and college classrooms." 

Birdville ISD Advanced Level Courses

Honors (Formerly Pre-AP)

• Prepare students for success on the state-required academic curriculum
• Help build student capacity to understand rigorous course content
• Require advanced reading, writing, and problem solving
• Provide foundational skills necessary for success in a college level course
• Establish a pathway for an advanced academic option in subsequent courses
• Require student and parent signatures acknowledging the expectations of committing to the level of work that meets the standards of the courses

Honors + 

• Self-contained GT course options available in certain content areas at all BISD middle school campuses:
  • 6th Grade:  Science & Social Studies
  • 7th Grade:  Science & Social Studies
  • 8th Grade:  Science & Social Studies
• Provides opportunities for identified GT students to spend part of their school day with other GT students
• Provides opportunities for curriculum differentiation specifically for GT learners, including independent research, product development, social and emotional needs, and "learned experiences".
• Completion of a Texas Performance Standards Project (TPSP) that is embedded as a part of the course curriculum.
• Examination, reflection, and application of "Habitudes", attributes modeled by prominent figures in each subject area.

 Advanced Placement (AP®) Courses:

• Designed to provide students exposure to college curricula while in high school and for success on College Board AP exams
• Require rigorous, fast-paced, extensive reading and writing
• May earn college credit with a qualifying score of 3 or higher on the correlating AP exam 
• Contact the institution of higher education to confirm AP credit policy  *Search the College Board AP Credit Policy by Higher Education Institution [opens in a new window]
• Provide students with a learning experience equivalent to that obtained in most college introductory courses
• Cover content that is required by the College Board in addition to state standards (TEKS)
• Require completion of the AP exam for every course in which the student is enrolled
• May result in substantial potential college cost savings 
• Include open enrollment to all students, regardless of ethnic, racial, socioeconomic or traditionally underrepresented learning populations
• Include increased reading from multiple, college equivalent genres, writing assignments, projects or labs requiring complex problem solving
• Require student and parent acknowledgment of the expectations and commitment to advanced level coursework

Birdville ISD offers 31 of 40 courses & exam options including Art, English, History, Social Science, Math, Computer Science, Science, World Language and Culture, and Capstone program.

Participation

• Participation in advanced level courses is open to all students; however, students and parents must acknowledge the expectations and commitment to the level of work that meets the standards of the courses. Components of these courses include: increased reading from a genre that is at a college level, sophisticated writing assignments, and projects or labs with complex problem solving.  Enrollment into these courses should be based on interest and ability since the curriculum requires more advanced and intensive work.

Student Choice/Staff Recommendation

• Students select courses based on interests, abilities, and selected endorsement or a coherent sequence of courses.

• Staff recommendation for student participation is preferred.

Student and Parent Commitment Contract

• Students understand the academic requirements for success in the course.
• Parents are informed of course expectations.
• Both student and parent sign commitment contract.

 Academic Monitoring

• Designated staff monitors performance of advanced academic students each nine weeks.
• No single individual can withdraw a student from an advanced academic course.
• Collaborative conference is held for students not performing successfully.
• Some form of intervention is designed and implemented to ensure student success.
• Progress monitoring and communication with parents occur.
• After one unsuccessful nine week cycle, a collaborative conference with student, parent, teacher, and counselor is convened to consider continuation or scheduling change.

AP Scholar Awards for Birdville ISD

Birdville Independent School District recognizes 345 AP® Scholars in the 2024 administration

Advanced Placement courses are offered at all high schools in the district and at middle schools with an AP World Language program.  AP exams are administered each May, providing students an option to earn college credit by attaining a qualifying score of 3, 4 or 5.  A student's award status is calculated based on exams taken in the current year as well as in previous years. Students may be represented in multiple categories. The AP Scholar Awards are academic distinctions for students to cite among their credentials. 

Award Levels

AP Scholar - granted to students who receive scores of 3 or higher on three or more AP

AP Scholar with Honor - granted to students who receive an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken and scores of 3 or higher on four or more AP exams taken

AP Scholar with Distinction - granted to students who receive an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken and scores of 3 or higher on five or more
AP exams taken

National AP Scholar -  granted to students in the United States who receive an average score of at least 4 on all AP Exams taken and scores of 4 or higher on eight or more AP exams taken

AP Seminar and Research Certificate - granted to students who earn scores of 3 or higher in both AP Seminar and AP Research in addition to earning scores of 3 or higher on 4 AP exams throughout high school. 

To find out more about the Advanced Placement program visit the College Board's student page.

https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/courses

Benefits of Dual Credit Courses

• Receive college credit while also receiving high school credit;
• Graduate from high school with transferable college credits;
• Fast-track undergraduate or vocational degrees; 
• Save on tuition and fees by accelerating time to complete a degree;
• Have access to the full range of college services;
• Experience college culture;
• Gain confidence to succeed in college

Our higher education partners:

Tarrant County Collegehttps://www.tccd.edu/academics/high-school-programs/dual-credit/

Texas Woman's University https://twu.edu/dual-credit/

Tarleton State University  https://www.tarleton.edu/sai/tarleton-today/

For more information about our dual credit options, contact your high school counselor.

Credit by Exam Testing for Acceleration: Grades 6 - 12

The Birdville Independent School District offers students in grades 6 - 12 credit for academic subjects in which the student has received no prior instruction (EHDC LEGAL) if the student scores:

If you would like to request Credit by Exam Testing for a secondary (grades 6-12) student, please contact your child's campus counselor.

• A three or higher on a College Board advanced placement examination that has been approved by the board for the applicable course;
• A scaled score of 50 or higher on an examination administered through the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) and approved by the board for the applicable course; or
• Eighty percent or above on any other criterion-referenced test approved by the board for the applicable course.  The Birdville ISD Board has approved use of CBE assessments from Avant Assessment for World Language Exams and the University of Texas for all other content areas.
  • If a student is given credit in a subject on the basis of a CBE on which the student scored 80 percent or higher, the district will enter the examination score on the students' transcript and the student is not required to take an end-of-course assessment instrument under Education Code 39.023(c) for the course.
  • A student may not attempt to earn credit by examination for a specific high school course more than two times. If a student fails to earn credit by examination for a specific high school course before the beginning of the school year in which the student would ordinarily be required to enroll in that course in accordance with the prescribed sequence, the student must satisfactorily complete the course to receive credit for the course.
  • Credit by Exam testing for World Languages is a proficiency exam and will place the student in the appropriate level of the world language course.

2024 Digital PSAT/NMSQT & SAT SCHOOL DAY ADMINISTRATION

Birdville ISD is paying for all 10th & 11th grade students to take the digital PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT) on Wednesday, October 9, 2024. Ninth grade students may opt in to take the PSAT/NMSQT by paying the $18 fee on RevTrak, BISD web store.

Seniors may opt-in to take the district funded digital SAT School Day (SAT SD) on Wednesday, October 9, 2024 by registering on campus. 

NOTE:  Seniors who did not participate as juniors are eligible.

Birdville ISD is paying for all 8th grade students to take the digital PSAT 8/9 in October. Middle school dates are campus specific.

 For more information about participation in the 2024 SAT digital suite administration for PSAT 8/9, PSAT/NMSQT or SAT School Day access the embedded Smore publication.   2024 Digital SAT Suite Smore (PSAT 8/9, PSAT/NMSQT, SAT School Day)

SAT SUITE STUDENT RESOURCES

• Bluebook Practice Resources
• SAT Suite Practice
• Prepare with 2024 PSAT 8/9 Student Guide 
• Prepare with 2024 PSAT/NMSQT Student Guide
• Prepare with 2024 SAT School Day Student Guide
• Connect with Colleges - Student Search Service (SSS)
• Access Scholarship Opportunities with BigFuture

For additional information, contact the department of Advanced Academics & CCMR or your middle or high school campus.

• Advanced coursework for secondary students is designed to provide academic rigor, deep and more complex content at an accelerated pace in addition to opportunities to work independently and collaboratively through authentic learning. Birdville ISD offers advanced coursework in English, history and social sciences, math, science, computer science, arts, and world languages and cultures.

  Birdville Independent School District considers multiple levels of identifying indicators for potential success in advanced level courses, based on various data sets, to ensure all students have program access and to encourage a representation of a school’s diverse student population.

• What are the benefits of taking Dual Credit courses in high school?

  • Receive college credit, while also receiving high school credit
  • Graduate from high school with transferable college credits
  • Fast-track undergraduate or vocational degrees
  • Save on tuition and fees by accelerating time to complete a degree
  • Have access to the full range of college services
  • Experience college culture
  • Gain confidence to succeed in college

• Birdville ISD partners with the following institutions of higher education to provide Dual Credit courses:

  New!!! Tarrant County College announced that the College is waiving tuition for all dual credit students, following a unanimous vote by its Board of Trustees. The Financial Aid for Swift Transfer (FAST) program waives tuition for students enrolled in dual credit courses. For more information, visit FAST Program FAQs

  • Tarrant County College
  • Texas Woman's University
  • Tarleton State University

• If you are interested in finding out more information on Dual Credit courses in Birdville ISD, please contact the Dual Credit Counselor at your high school.

Traits of Giftedness

Gifted individuals are unique, each displays different traits and behaviors of giftedness.  Below are some common traits that gifted individuals exhibit.  No gifted learner exhibits all of these traits to the same degree.

• Ability to comprehend material several grade levels above their age peers 
• Surprising emotional depth and sensitivity at a young age 
• Strong sense of curiosity 
• Enthusiastic about unique interests and topics  
• Quirky or mature sense of humor 
• Creative problem solving and imaginative expression 
• Absorbs information quickly with few repetitions needed 
• Self-aware, socially aware, and aware of global issues 

Access additional traits of giftedness

Screening Process for Secondary Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) Services

Birdville ISD follows the Texas State Plan for Gifted Education and uses multiple measures when screening students for GATE services.  The same types of data are initially collected on each referred student, including current scores from a standardized aptitude test and input on gifted traits/behaviors observed in the home and school environment.  The collected data for each referred student is taken to a GATE Placement committee for review.  GATE Placement Committees are formed of a minimum of three district personnel who have completed required GT training.  During the meeting, a member of the GATE Placement Committee may request additional data before making a service recommendation.  Students whose data reflects that gifted/talented (GATE) services will be the most effective way to meet their identified educational needs may be recommended for GATE Services.  

Access Secondary GATE Referral Letter 23-24 ENGLISH

Access Secondary GATE Referral Letter 23-24 SPANISH

Students can be screened for GATE services once per school year following the timeline below.  

IF YOUR CHILD IS ALREADY IDENTIFIED FOR GT SERVICES IN BISD, YOU DO NOT NEED TO SUBMIT A NEW REFERRAL!  SECONDARY STUDENTS RETAIN THEIR GT INDICATOR AS LONG AS THEY ARE ENROLLED IN AT LEAST ONE ADVANCED (HONORS/AP) COURSE!

2024-2025 Screening Timeline 

October 15, 2024: Referral period opens for students in grades 6-12  (this is the only referral period for grades 6–12 for the 2024–2025 school year).

November 1, 2024: Referral period closes at 4 pm.

November 6 – December 13, 2024: Testing window for students in grades 6–12. The GT Department will coordinate with campus instructional facilitators and academic deans to schedule testing times for students at each campus. 

December 2024: GATE placement committees will meet to review data on referred students and make service recommendations.  Parents will be notified by Focus of GATE service recommendations.

Special Screening Situations

Transfer students:   If a student transfers to Birdville ISD that was identified for gifted and talented services in a previous district, that student will be screened for GATE services after verification of the GT identification from the previous district.  Data from the previous district that is less than two years old may be considered by the GATE Placement Committee.  If data is more than two years old, new data will be collected to determine if gifted services are appropriate.  If your child is a transfer student, please contact Stacye Onstott, Coordinator of Gifted Services.  Email Stacye Onstott. Be certain to include:  child's name, child's current grade level, child's previous campus and district, and child's current home campus in Birdville ISD.  If a student was identified for GATE services at one Birdville campus and transfers to another Birdville campus, that student will continue to receive GATE services.

Special Education students:  Data used to determine special education services for students can be used to help determine GATE placement as long as it is less than two years old.  

Outside Test Scores:  GATE Placement Committees will consider test scores from assessments given outside the district as long as the testing occurred in a public or private educational setting.  GATE Placement Committees do not accept test scores from private assessments.

GATE Placement Committee Decision Appeal Process (FNG LOCAL)

If a student is not recommended for GATE services by the GATE Placement Committee, a parent, student, or Birdville ISD personnel, may request a formal reconsideration of the decision if one of the following three criteria are met:

• The home language of the student is not English, and there is evidence that this has impacted the results of the screening process.
• The student has a disability as identified through an Admission, Review, Dismissal (ARD) or 504 committee that may have an impact on the screening process.
• There is documented evidence that the student was experiencing emotional stress during the screening process due to a life change (ie divorce, death of a close family member, etc...)

Level I Appeal Process

• Parent, student, or Birdville ISD personnel must file a formal appeal  to the Coordinator of Gifted Services within 15 district business days of the receipt of the GATE Placement Committee’s decision, or if received during the summer, within the first 15 days of the school year.  Within 15 days of the receipt of the written Level I appeal, the original GATE Placement Committee members will reconvene to review student data collected during the screening process and consider additional information provided by the Level I appeal.  Based on a review of the data provided from the Level I Appeal, the original GATE Placement Committee members may uphold their original recommendation, make a new service recommendation, or request additional data be collected.  The original GATE Placement Committee will notify the person who filed the appeal in writing of the decision made.  **If the GATE Placement Committee decides to collect additional data for a student, that data may be collected at the start of the 2024-2025 school year. Access Level I Appeal Form

Level II Appeal Process

• If the parent, student, or Birdville ISD personnel did not receive the relief requested at the Level I Appeal Process, he or she may file a Level II Appeal.  After receiving notice of the appeal, the Level I administrator shall prepare and forward a record of the Level I Appeal, including all documentation submitted by the student or parent, as well as other documents relied upon by the Level I administrator in reaching the Level I decision, to the appropriate Level II administrator.  
• The Level II administrator shall schedule a conference within ten days after the Level II appeal is received.  The conference shall be limited to the issues and documents presented by the student or parent at Level I.  No new documentation may be presented at Level II that was not made available at Level I.
• The Level II administrator shall provide the student or parent a written response within ten days following the conference.
• Level II appeal forms will be made available electronically if requested.

Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) College Readiness System

• AVID’s mission is to close the opportunity gap by preparing all students for college and career readiness and success in a global society.

  In 1977, AVID Founder Mary Catherine Swanson identified the important skills necessary for a student to be successful at the post-secondary level. These components form the foundation of AVID, including its philosophy, practices, and curriculum, and include:

  1. A non-traditional classroom setting meeting the academic and emotional needs of individual students.
  2. The teacher as advisor/counselor/student advocate
  3. An emphasis on objective data
  4. The student at the center of decision-making regarding educational goals
  5. A student contract outlining willingness to work and setting learning goals
  6. Student support from teachers and skilled, trained tutors
  7. A curriculum emphasizing academic reading and writing
  8. Reliance on the Socratic process

  ("AVID's History." MYAVID. AVID, 2015. Web. 8 Dec. 2015. <www.avid.org/history.ashx>.)

  AVID at a Glance  

  Birdville ISD AVID Schoolwide System

  Currently, BISD has expanded the AVID College Readiness System (CRS) to six middle schools (Haltom Middle School, North Oaks Middle School, North Richland Middle School, North Ridge Middle School, Richland Middle School, Watauga Middle School) and two high schools (Haltom High School, Collegiate Academy of Birdville). Haltom High School received the distinction of AVID National AVID Demonstration School in 2015 and was re-validated in 2018 and 2024. AVID National Demonstration Schools are exemplary models of the AVID College Readiness System which foster the highest level of schoolwide systemic visibility of AVID essentials.

  The AVID schoolwide model integrates 5 core elements:  writing, inquiry, collaboration, organization and reading (WICOR). AVID is governed by 4 domains: instruction, systems, leadership and culture. The student interest process begins on campus with a student campus recommendation for the AVID CRS or a student/parent request with interest.  Program criteria and academic commitment will be communicated by the campus AVID Site Coordinator of the aforementioned campuses.