Is your child returning to Akin and possesses some of these Common Characteristics of Gifted Children (source: What is Giftedness?):
Ability to comprehend material several grade levels above their age peers
Surprising emotional depth and sensitivity at a young age
Strong sense of curiosity
Enthusiastic about unique interests and topics
Quirky or mature sense of humor
Creative problem solving and imaginative expression
Absorbs information quickly with few repetitions needed
Self-aware, socially aware, and aware of global issues
These MAY be indicators that the QUEST program could be beneficial to your child. Screening for the QUEST GT program is based on referral by any adult that knows the student. If you feel your child may have an educational need for gifted services, complete the Referral Forms in the link below in order for them to be screened for the GT QUEST program for the 2025-2026 school year.
*Spring referrals are now open! They will close on March 1, 2026. Parents who referred will be notified by April 1, 2025 if their child moves to testing. Results will be sent home before the last day of school.
The next opportunity to refer a student for the GT/QUEST Program will be next school year. Since we are moving to a year long referral with testing done in the spring, students can be referred for testing at any time, but we would not be screening/testing until our district window opens in the Spring of 2026 for the 2026-2027 school year.
Students may be referred for QUEST screening by filling out the parent input forms using the following links:
All 3 forms below are required for QUEST/GT screening:
For more information about the QUEST program visit the district website.
•Students may be referred for the gifted and talented program at any time by teachers, counselors, parents, or other interested persons. The district provides ONE screening and identification and assessment opportunity once per school year (EHBB Local). Screening as well as identification and assessment is a multi-step process and involves both quantitative and qualitative measures. (EHBB Legal) (19TAC89.1)
Anyone can refer a child for the GT Screening, Assessment, and Identification Process at any time. It is a three-step process:
Step 1 – Screening: All students are screened using multiple measures. The purpose of screening is to identify students who demonstrate potential in areas of general intellectual ability through district selected achievement and observation feedback tools.
Step 2 – Assessment: Students meeting the screening process criteria will be assessed for gifted services once permission from the parent/guardian is received. Assessment tools may include, but are not limited to, the following:
achievement tests
intelligence tests
creativity tests
behavioral checklists
student/parent conferences
student work products
Step 3 – Identification: All measures are evaluated by the G/T committee. The committee recommends appropriate educational placements.
All members have 30 hours GT foundation training, which includes GT identification and assessment, and are current with the annual 6-hour gifted training update.
Placement into QUEST-G/T requires parental permission.
Please note that new to district K-5 students are NO LONGER screened automatically in Leander ISD. All students are screened through a referral process.
Screening and assessment for referred grades 6–12 students is offered once in the spring. Referrals must be received prior to the start date of the spring screening and assessment window.
Referrals from students, teachers, administrators, counselors, and parents are accepted throughout the school year for Grades K–12.
Kindergarten screening for all learners occurs during January. Prior to screening, elementary G/T-QUEST teachers provide a minimum of four whole-class lessons to every kindergarten class. These lessons provide common creative and critical thinking experiences and allow us to better understand the learner prior to screening.
Transfer identified G/T students from outside of LISD will have records reviewed following the District’s assessment procedures. Students demonstrating a need for G/T services will be placed upon completion of the records review process.
Once identified, QUEST-G/T students are NOT re-screened or retested, unless they have exited from the program.
Furloughed QUEST-G/T students remain on furlough for the entire school year that the furlough was issued. They may either resume QUEST services the following year, exit QUEST/GT services, or be retested or re-screened following the recommendations of the QUEST-G/T Identification and Placement Committee. This is all based on individual student needs, performance, and history.
In order to furlough or exit from the program, parents and students conference with the campus QUEST-G/T teacher and follow the steps of the furlough/exit process. Parents, students, or QUEST-G/T teachers may initiate the furlough/exit process.
QUEST-G/T teachers support campus teachers with enrichment for all students and in meeting the needs of QUEST-G/T students, including working with individual students, training opportunities, conferences, sharing of instructional strategies and collaborative meetings.