By Carol Anders Staff Writer
PLYMOUTH — Changes in the way the state of Indiana will be tracking students identified currently as gifted and talented has led to the Indiana Public Law-84-2007.
This law now changes the reference in school corporation’s annual reports from “gifted and talented” to “high ability.”
The Plymouth School board heard a report on the topic from Menominee Elementary Principal Michael Dunn at the school board meeting Thursday night.

Dunn said, “This law requires a school corporation to establish a program for high ability students consistent with federal, state, local, and private funding sources.”
Dunn said the initial screening will be done in kindergarten and teachers will use the Kingore Observation Inventory as a beginning assessment.
“From their observations, the teachers will then complete the GATES (Gifted and Talented Evaluation Scales),” Dunn said. The next step, according to Dunn, will be to give students the TONI (Test of Non-Verbal Intelligence).
The TONI test, Dunn said, is non-verbal and can more accurately identify high ability in students who may come from impoverished backgrounds with limited vocabularies or ENL students who do not have English-speaking skills.
“We are creating a program this year to be ready to implement it in the next school year. It is a work in progress,” Dunn said.
Other members of the committee who are formulating the plan along with Dunn, who is serving as the high-ability coordinator, include: Jim Condon, PHS principal; Dan Funston, LJH principal; Donna Burroughs, Riverside principal; and Carrie McGuire, Webster Elementary principal.
The two teachers who are currently teaching the Pride program for gifted and talented students, Judy Harness and Vickie Cook, are also on the committee.
Parents involved include: Isabel Sanchez, Chris Morrow, Joe Martin, Kristi Nate, Shawn Morrow and Sara Smith.
Dunn, Superintendent Dan Tyree and parent Sara Smith will be members of a panel that will be addressing the topic on WTCA Radio on May 9.