Res. No. 417
Title
Resolution calling upon the New York City Department of Education to create more district Gifted and Talented programs and classes, and create a pathway for admission to Gifted and Talented intermediate school programs.
Body
By Council Members Holden and Ulrich
Whereas, There are two types of Gifted and Talented (G&T) programs in New York City, district and citywide, according to the Department of Education's website; and
Whereas, The district G&T program gives admissions priority to applicants who live in their district and offers a few G&T classes per grade, and the citywide G&T program gives no admissions priority based on district of residence and all students in these schools attend the G&T program; and
Whereas, The current G&T program has benefitted many gifted students; and
Whereas, To enroll in any G&T program, students in pre-K through second grade must fill out a request for testing form two months before the testing period begins and take an admissions examination that uses objective measures of scholastic skills; and
Whereas, The use of an admissions examination that uses objective measures of scholastic skills has benefitted many gifted students; and
Whereas, In most schools, after second grade there is no admissions examination or official pathway for entry into a G&T program except when a student leaves the program, which is extremely rare; and
Whereas, The policy of the Department of Education is that students must score at or above the 90th percentile to be eligible for district G&T programs and at or above the 97th percentile to be eligible for citywide G&T programs; and
Whereas, Due to competitiveness and lack of availability of G&T programs, however, students often must actually score at or above 99th percentile to gain admission to the citywide G&T programs; and
Whereas, Some, but not all, intermediate sixth through eighth grade schools provide G&T classes to top perf...
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