Leadership Talent Area

Leadership can manifest in a variety of ways. Exceptional leadership potential goes beyond simply “taking a role” in some club or group, and may be demonstrated in products, in the process of developing those products, and in group interactions.

Leadership is often recognized only in its positive aspects for identification. However, leadership skills can manifest in myriad ways. Families should consider if their student is using communication and modeling practices that influence those around them, whether positively or negatively.

The nature of leadership suggests that a person’s leadership abilities and ambitions can be stifled or nurtured. Because of this, consideration must be given to a student’s age, exposure to, and experiences in leadership opportunities when interpreting scores and determining programming.

Types of evidence

There are hundreds of definitions of leadership and leadership behaviors. Jeffco Public Schools is looking for evidence throughout the process of the following main components:

• Communication: The ability to listen to and express ideas clearly to others
• Motivation and confidence: Intrinsically driven with a belief in themself
• Inspiration: The ability to inspire confidence and productivity in others
• Cooperation and charge: “Take charge” attitude that earns the respect and trust of others while being able to collaborate with others
• Vision-creativity: Ability to focus on and achieve a goal
• Values others: Sees and supports contributions and success of others, even when they disagree
• Risk-taker: Confident in their ideas and willing to courageously move forward.

The Colorado Department of Education has approved different types of qualifying information for a body of evidence in dance aptitude within Jeffco.

Performance, portfolio and product evaluation

• Top place or ranking at a state or national contest related to leadership
• Expert juried performance at the advanced or distinguished level
• Portfolio or product review at the advanced or distinguished level

Norm-referenced observation

• 95th percentile or above on norm-referenced observation scale in the area of creativity (SIGS, GRS or others)

Criterion or norm-referenced test

• 95th percentile or above on an approved cognitive assessment (such as KBIT, CogAT, WISC or WPPSI)

1. Fill out the leadership aptitude identification referral form.

   • Formulario de referencia para la identificación de aptitud GT para Liderazgo (Español)
   • Направление на определение наличия способностей лидера (русский)
   • 领导力天资鉴定转介表 (中文)
   • Biểu mẫu Giới thiệu Xác định Năng khiếu về Lãnh đạo (Tiếng Việt)

2. Review the leadership portfolio rubric.

3. Assemble the portfolio.

4. Submit the portfolio by the deadline on the timeline for talent identification.

5. GT resource teachers will evaluate the portfolio and build a body of evidence.

6. A GT resource teacher may perform cognitive testing or leadership scales, such as the Roets, with the student.

7. The GT review team will review the body of evidence and inform parents of the status or decision within 30 school days of the review.

Assemble the portfolio

Portfolios must be electronic and submitted online. Submissions can be annotated to help the review team understand the student’s thinking and process.

Portfolios could include:

• Products or events where the student has demonstrated leadership potential.
• Letters of recommendation from someone who has seen them in a leadership role.
• Student-written or otherwise recorded reflection of each experience including. timeline.
• Collections, journals, sketchbooks, photographs, thank-you notes, certificates or awards.
• Other evidence that may show leadership skills or recognition, such as behavior rating scales or awards.