Level III Program: MOSAICS 

Overview

• Parkway meets Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) criteria for the identification and programming for students identified for the gifted program. In response to recommendations in the 2015 Annual Report of the Advisory Council on the Education of Gifted and Talented Students and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), Parkway is working to more equitably identify and meet the needs of traditionally underrepresented students in the gifted education program.

• To maintain the integrity of the screening process alternate assessments may be used in some circumstances.

• Students who have been evaluated by Parkway School District at the district level can be reevaluated after two years or after eighteen months at the building level, if deemed appropriate by the assessment team.

• A maximum of two IQ tests at the district level can be administered for qualification to Parkway’s MOSAICS gifted program.

Gifted Testing Process

The gifted specialist administering the assessments will decide the appropriate instrument for your child according to age. Our goal in Parkway is to collect data to obtain a comprehensive picture of each student’s aptitude and academic performance while being cognizant of the number of assessments administered.

For students transferring to Parkway, the following norm-referenced assessments with qualifying criteria may be considered in our screening process.

Building Level Screening 

• Students may be screened based on teacher or parent recommendation. 

• Building level screening may include academic, creativity/ reasoning, problem-solving, and other assessment

• If two building screening assessments meet the criteria, the student will move forward for district-level cognitive testing.

First and New Second Grade Screening

All first graders and new second graders are universally screened at the building level. 

• Universal screening for first graders includes:

• Naglieri General Ability Tests: Nonverbal, Verbal, and Quantitative will be administered October 13- 31, 2025. This assessment is administered to all first grade students to identify areas of strength in critical thinking and problem-solving. Score reports will be shared. 

• Creative and critical thinking and problem-solving work samples: Throughout the school year, gifted specialists expose first grade classrooms to a variety of lessons in creative, critical thinking, and problem-solving. Instruction is followed by the administration of the Kingore Observation Inventory.

• Universal screening for new second graders:

  • Naglieri General Ability Tests: Nonverbal, Verbal, and Quantitative will be administered September 30- October 8. This assessment is administered to all new second grade students to identify areas of strength in critical thinking and problem-solving. Score reports will be shared..

District Level Testing

Assessments administered at the district level provide an individualized evaluation of each student by assessing cognitive areas of development. Score reports will be shared. 

If a student qualifies for gifted services, the MOSAICS gifted specialist in your building will communicate the start date and class schedule.