Identification Process

The identification process is comprised of two levels which are described below. Students may be referred for gifted identification by teachers and/or parents. A district Pupil Placement Team (PPT) reviews each student profile individually to determine whether each student qualifies for gifted program services.

Level I UNIVERSAL SCREENING- provides systematic opportunities for all children to be considered on the basis of their performance in the core curriculum. The education of the gifted child is a "shared responsibility,” the Level I components will include input from general and special education staff, and teachers of the gifted. Once the data is collected and analyzed, students who have emerged as potentially intellectually different from their peers will proceed to the next level.

Level II INDIVIDUAL EVALUATION- is comprised of individual and small group assessment instruments that serve to further refine the gifted identification process. The following instruments are used:

Ability Testing -Otis-Lennon School Ability Test
Renzulli Scales for Rating the Behavior Characteristics of Superior Students completed by classroom teachers will provide information on the demonstration and frequency of gifted behaviors and traits: learning, creativity, motivation, mathematics and communication characteristics.
Degrees of Reading Power
Creative Writing Assessment
Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking-Figural
Parent Questionnaire- seeks additional information describing the individual development, interests and strengths of a student. Although the information provided cannot be quantified, it does serve to give our Identification Committee a more complete profile of a child.

Criteria for Qualification

In order to qualify for the Idea Program, students will generally meet criteria on at least three of the assessments listed below. A maximum of two of the three School Ability Index(SAI)scores on the OLSAT will be considered for criteria.

OLSAT Verbal SAI: 135-150

OLSAT Nonverbal SAI: 135-150

OLSAT Total SAI: 135-150

Renzulli Scales for Rating the Behavior Characteristics of Superior Students- 90% or above on any three of the five scales: learning, creativity, motivation, mathematics and communication characteristics

Degrees of Reading Power- 98th percentile and above

Creative Written Expression- At least five out of ten on rubric

Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking- Figural 90th percentile