Identification Procedure
The following steps will be followed for identifying gifted learners in grades K-12. Early Access to Kindergarten or First Grade is also allowable, but follows a different protocol. Please contact the school's gifted coordinator or principal for more information on Early Access.
Step 1: Screening
All 3rd and 6th grade students are administered the CogAT (Cognitive Abilities) test in the fall to aid in the identification of potential candidates. Students scoring at or above the 95th percentile in any subtest or composite of this screening instrument will be referred for consideration. Other testing may be accepted, especially in the case of English Language Learners, to enable equal opportunity to all populations.
Step 2: Referrals
All students are included in the preliminary search for Gifted/Talented students. Classroom teachers refer potential candidates from their classrooms to the GT coordinator. Counselors, other staff members, an RTI team, parents, or students themselves may also initiate referrals. Referrals may be made at any time during the school year.
Once referred, teachers and parents of referred students begin to gather a body of evidence to support the student’s nomination. Criteria may include CogAT test scores, grades, CSAP test results, KOI inventory or other teacher questionnaire, other testing results, classroom assessments, parental questionnaires, samples of student work, or other evidence.
New students to our district, who have been formally identified at their previous school, will be automatically accepted into our program once documentation has been received. They will proceed to step 4 to determine programming options.
Step 3: Formal Identification
Once all evidence has been gathered, a review team will meet to review the gathered data. A student will be accepted to the program if he/she attains a 95th percentile or higher score on three item in at least two of the following categories:
· Nationally or state normed achievement test
· Cognitive ability test (we use COGAT)
· Current/Former Teacher recommendation
· Portfolio of work that shows outstanding performance in a subject area
Identified students will proceed to the implementation stage. Those students who are not accepted into the program will be referred back to their classroom teachers for possible extension or enrichment within their classroom.
Step 4: Implementation
All identified students and their parents will then meet with the GT coordinator, their classroom teacher(s), and possibly the principal, counselor, or other invited staff member to develop an ALP (Advanced Learning Plan). The ALP will identify the student’s strengths, parental concerns, and outline a plan of services for the upcoming year that will best serve the student’s strength area(s). These learning plans will be revisited at least once per year to determine the effectiveness of the student’s educational program. A new ALP will be developed each year.
Step 1: Screening
All 3rd and 6th grade students are administered the CogAT (Cognitive Abilities) test in the fall to aid in the identification of potential candidates. Students scoring at or above the 95th percentile in any subtest or composite of this screening instrument will be referred for consideration. Other testing may be accepted, especially in the case of English Language Learners, to enable equal opportunity to all populations.
Step 2: Referrals
All students are included in the preliminary search for Gifted/Talented students. Classroom teachers refer potential candidates from their classrooms to the GT coordinator. Counselors, other staff members, an RTI team, parents, or students themselves may also initiate referrals. Referrals may be made at any time during the school year.
Once referred, teachers and parents of referred students begin to gather a body of evidence to support the student’s nomination. Criteria may include CogAT test scores, grades, CSAP test results, KOI inventory or other teacher questionnaire, other testing results, classroom assessments, parental questionnaires, samples of student work, or other evidence.
New students to our district, who have been formally identified at their previous school, will be automatically accepted into our program once documentation has been received. They will proceed to step 4 to determine programming options.
Step 3: Formal Identification
Once all evidence has been gathered, a review team will meet to review the gathered data. A student will be accepted to the program if he/she attains a 95th percentile or higher score on three item in at least two of the following categories:
· Nationally or state normed achievement test
· Cognitive ability test (we use COGAT)
· Current/Former Teacher recommendation
· Portfolio of work that shows outstanding performance in a subject area
Identified students will proceed to the implementation stage. Those students who are not accepted into the program will be referred back to their classroom teachers for possible extension or enrichment within their classroom.
Step 4: Implementation
All identified students and their parents will then meet with the GT coordinator, their classroom teacher(s), and possibly the principal, counselor, or other invited staff member to develop an ALP (Advanced Learning Plan). The ALP will identify the student’s strengths, parental concerns, and outline a plan of services for the upcoming year that will best serve the student’s strength area(s). These learning plans will be revisited at least once per year to determine the effectiveness of the student’s educational program. A new ALP will be developed each year.