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Hoffman Gifted Program

The Gifted Program at Hoffman School

In District 34, giftedness refers to a small percentage of the population having natural abilities that significantly exceed district-defined norms in one or more areas of learning.  Gifted students think in abstract and creative ways, more broadly and deeply than their like-aged peers.  We believe these students need an appropriately challenging curriculum delivered with their academic peers.  The District’s gifted program provides an opportunity for students needing extra challenges to work and learn together.

All students are screened in spring of 2nd grade and fall of 3rd grade for intermediate gifted services, and in the spring of 5th grade for middle school services. Students who qualify to go on to the identification phase take the TTCT (Torrence Test for Creative Thinking) and the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, and are also given an IQ test by district psychologists.  We currently require a minimum Intelligence Quotient (IQ) score of 130 and/or a qualifying score in either the TTCT or the ITBS.

Once identified, students receive daily pull out services during the reading block.  The gifted teacher is responsible for providing a balanced literacy experience that includes shared reading, guided reading, independent reading, word work, and writing to ensure all students receive each component of balanced literacy instruction throughout the day. 

The gifted teacher is also available to provide classroom teachers with support in the differentiation of reading and language arts skills across all content areas.

For more information about the gifted program, please go to the District 34 webpage.  Under “Parents,” you will see a bar entitled, “Gifted/Enrichment.”  If you click on “Student Identification” and “Service Overview,” you will find more detailed descriptions of the screening and identification phases of the selection process.

We are very fortunate that District 34 strives to meet the social, emotional, and instructional needs of all its learners!