Talented and gifted program might grow to accommodate more students, Board of Ed member suggests

Posted By: David Fortier August 1, 2024

By Maria Caceres

Hearing from more parents about their experiences with the Board of Education Gifted and Talented Program is a high priority for a Board of Education’s Student Achievement & Outcomes Committee member and chair of the School Family Community Partnerships Committee.

“Every child deserves to grow in a way that meets his or her needs,” Maria Simmons said in an interview recently.

She said she hopes for the community to be more involved so there would be more funding into the program and to possibly get help for program coordinator, Alan Theriault.

“How do we build in better supports?” Simmons said. “He is one person to be managing all the schools.”

At the end of the last school year there were 7,774 students and 319 identified gifted students in the 2023-24 school year.

The state does not require that services be provided for students identified as gifted and talented. This is left to the school district. However, the law also stipulates that 10 percent of a school’s population qualifies.

“We are nowhere near that,” Simmons said.

Simmons said her biggest concern with the program was that the criteria might be inaccessible to some students.

“We examine our practices to make sure we are not making entrance to our program inaccessible,” she said. “Is the criteria too narrow?”

For instance, the program may need to look at student potential in different ways, including giftedness in the arts, such as music, visual and performing arts.

In addition, she said the data showed the program is “grossly under-representing” black, Hispanic and special education IEP students.

Simmons said she wants the program policies to be as inclusive as possible and to reach as many students as possible. She said to do this, coaches might need to talk to teachers who know their students the best and to find new ways to identify students that includes the most students it can.

In a meeting on June 26, Simmons, said she liked hearing the positive feedback that came from parents with students in the program.

At the meeting several parents and educators spoke to give feedback on the program and how their students were reacting positively to the activities.

Simmon may be contacted via email at mariasimmons@bristolk12.org.

Editor’s note: The article was updated to correct Simmons’ Board of Education assignments as well as to clarify the responsibilities of a school district and how it determines giftedness.

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