N.M. Admin. Code § 6.31.3.7 - DEFINITIONS

A. "Aptitude" means capacity to acquire competence, skill, or behaviors that can be monitored, evaluated, or observed.

B. "Articulation" means the communication and planning about student educational needs that occurs as students are promoted through the school system grade by grade.

C. "Artistic ability" means having exceptional capability or potential in visual art, theater, music, or dance. Artistic ability is demonstrated by achieving at an advanced level on a performance assessment or scoring in the ninety-fifth percentile or above on standardized arts assessments.

D. "Commensurate growth" means the academic and affective progress that can be measured and should be expected of a gifted student given the student's level of achievement, learning needs, and abilities matched with the appropriate instructional level.

E. "Creative or divergent thinking" means having exceptional capability or potential to solve a problem or reach a decision using strategies that deviate from commonly used or previously taught strategies, which is demonstrated by achieving an advanced level on performance assessments or scoring in the ninety-fifth percentile or above on standardized tests of creative or divergent thinking.

F. "General intellectual ability" means having exceptional capability or potential recognized through cognitive processes, such as memory, reasoning, rate of learning, spatial reasoning, ability to find and solve problems, ability to manipulate abstract ideas, and ability to make connections, which is demonstrated by scoring in the ninety-fifth percentile or above on standardized cognitive ability tests.

G. "Gifted individualized education program" or "GIEP" means a written statement for a gifted student that is developed, reviewed, and revised to deliver appropriate educational services to meet the needs of gifted students.

H. "Gifted individualized education program team" or "GIEP team" means a multidisciplinary team that includes:

(1) the parents or guardians of the gifted student;

(2) if the gifted student is participating in the general education environment, at least one of the gifted student's general education teachers;

(3) at least one of the gifted student's gifted education teachers, and if appropriate, at least one of twice-exceptional student's special education providers;

(4) an LEA representative who is:

(a) qualified to provide or supervise the provision of specially designed instruction to meet the unique needs of gifted students;

(b) knowledgeable of the general education curriculum; and

(c) knowledgeable of the availability of resources of the department;

(5) other individuals who have knowledge or special expertise regarding the student, including related services personnel as appropriate; and

(6) whenever appropriate, the gifted student.

I. "Gifted student" means a person between the ages of five and 21 whose abilities, talents, or potential for accomplishment are so exceptional or developmentally advanced that they require special provisions to meet their educational programming needs.

J. "Identification process" means a procedure for screening, referral, evaluation, and identification of gifted students.

K. "LEA" means a local education agency, being a public school district or a state-chartered charter school.

L. "Leadership ability" means exceptional capability or potential to influence, inspire, and empower groups demonstrated by achieving an advanced level on leadership ability performance assessment or scoring in the ninety-fifth percentile or above on standardized leadership tests.

M. "Performance assessment" means systematic analysis or evaluation of a student's product, performance, or behaviors based on valid criteria, scoring rubric, or rating scale norms.

N. "Pre-advanced placement" means a variety of programs and strategies that prepare students to take advanced placement courses before or during high school.

O. "Precollege" means a variety of programs to help students plan, apply, and pay for college. Programs may be administered by schools, colleges and universities, or community organizations or businesses.

P. "Problem-solving or critical thinking" means having outstanding capabilities to analyze a problem and engage in solutions-oriented performance, which is demonstrated by achieving an advanced level on problem-solving or critical thinking performance assessments or scoring in the ninety-fifth percentile or above on standardized problem-solving assessments.

Q. "Screening" means an assessment method used to provide evidence of exceptional potential ability or aptitude. Screening tools may be qualitative or quantitative. Screening data contribute to a body of evidence for making identification and instructional decisions.

R. "Specific aptitude" means having exceptional capability in a subject area, such as having a strong knowledge base or the ability to ask insightful, pertinent questions within the discipline, and achievement at an advanced level on performance assessments or state standardized achievement tests. Specific aptitude subject areas include all subject areas for which educational standards for students have been adopted in Chapter 29 of Title 6 NMAC.

S. "Twice-exceptional" means a student who is identified as a gifted student and is:

(1) identified as a student with a disability pursuant to 6.31.2 NMAC; or

(2) a qualified individual pursuant to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C.A. § 794.

Notes

N.M. Admin. Code § 6.31.3.7

Adopted by New Mexico Register, Volume XXXIV, Issue 14, July 31, 2023, eff. 7/31/2023