What is the AMPLIFY Program? 

The AMPLIFY Program is a talent development program. Students who are identified to participate in AMPLIFY and whose parents sign consent will participate in gifted resource classes alongside gifted students in order to support their enrichment and foster their higher-order thinking skills, creativity, motivation, and achievement.

Why is there a need for an AMPLIFY Program?

Because some student subgroups have historically been underrepresented in gifted services nationwide, statewide, and in the City Schools of Decatur, our school system has developed the AMPLIFY program as part of our district commitment to amplifying equity and creating opportunities to amplify the strengths of the students in the program.

What grades have the AMPLIFY Program? 

The AMPLIFY Program currently exists throughout first through twelfth grades. Students identified for the AMPLIFY Program in elementary years must continue to meet AMPLIFY criteria as of the end of 5th grade in order to continue in the program in middle school. Students identified for the AMPLIFY Program in middle school years must continue to meet AMPLIFY criteria as of the end of 8th grade in order to continue in the program in high school.

How are students identified?

City Schools of Decatur looks at student data after universal screening assessments are administered (CogAT, MAP, STAR) to identify students who meet AMPLIFY eligibility criteria. Any student meeting the AMPLIFY criteria is identified, and parents are contacted for consent to place the student in the AMPLIFY Program. Additionally, teachers and parents can recommend a student to be reviewed for AMPLIFY through the Gifted Review process every fall. Students may also be identified for AMPLIFY based on gifted evaluation results (MAP, STAR, CogAT, TTCT). 

Eligibility for AMPLIFY  is based on BOTH of the following (revised, effective 10/3/22):

1. Identification as a member of a group currently underrepresented in gifted education

                                               AND

2. A documented score at or above the 85th percentile on ANY of the following measures: 

• CogAT component or composite in the last two years (mental ability measure)
• 3x MAP/STAR Reading or 3x MAP/STAR Math (all 3 scores in same subject) in the last two years (achievement measure)
  • Scores do not have to be consecutive, but all must be within the last two years.
• TTCT in the last two years (creativity measure)

When does CSD begin to identify students for AMPLIFY?

City Schools of Decatur begins identifying students for AMPLIFY in kindergarten. A student can be identified for the AMPLIFY Program at any point K-12.