Approximately 10 percent of the program's participants are minority students, while more than 39 percent of the district's enrollment are minority students. Totals may not add due to rounding. BISD attempts to increase the representation of minorities in the gifted and talented education program by including a nonverbal ability test, Matrix Analogies Test, an interview or portfolio and a teacher checklist as part of the identification criteria. The APEX program was initiated 5 years ago to increase the probability of identifying additional economically disadvantaged and minority students. An evaluation of the program in 1999-2000 indicates the program is not successful.
Several districts use other alternative instruments to identify minority students.
Alief ISD uses the Woodcock Munos, the Spanish version of the Woodcock Johnson verbal IQ test and is amending procedures to use only one totally nonverbal unified test, Naglieri. Amend the district's gifted and talented identification procedures. September 2000 2. The executive director of Academic Programs recommends the proposed changes to the assistant superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction. October 2000 4.