Service Design – How is the talent pool format different from a pull-out program?
The talent pool format for serving Gifted students whereby the makeup of the class consists of identified Gifted and high ability learners is a form of cluster grouping. Identified Gifted students have been grouped together in classrooms for several years. There are two differences in this year’s program: The rest of the students in the classroom are those who have demonstrated the ability for high end learning based on available data, whereas in the past, the balance of the class consisted of a random selection of students. In the past, Gifted students were served through a 2 hour per week pull-out program and enrichment of the regular curriculum in the classroom as designed by the individual teacher. This year the teachers of Gifted students will begin compacting curriculum and begin employing a district wide curriculum model.
