Handout: Routes to Identification Flow Chart for Parents

3 Important Tips for MOSAICS Gifted Screening

Parkway School District Private Testing Guidelines

Appeal Process Guidelines

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.

• As part of the gifted evaluation process in Missouri and in Parkway, four areas are used to evaluate students. The four areas are problem-solving/creativity, a locally normed area, academic and cognitive assessments. Three of the four areas must meet criteria for a student to be identified for gifted programming. 

•  In order to maintain the integrity of the assessments utilized and because different assessments may be used in different circumstances, Parkway does not openly publish the assessments used in the evaluation process. 

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

Building Level Screening

• All first graders and new second graders are universally screened at the building level. Second through seventh graders may be screened based on teacher or parent recommendation. 

• Universal screening for first graders includes:

  • • A normed nonverbal assessment: This assessment is administered to all first grade students to identify areas of strength in critical thinking and problem-solving. This assessment is administered online typically in October-November. Schools will notify families of the planned assessment date.

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

• Universal screening for new second graders:

  • • A normed nonverbal assessment: This assessment is administered to second grade students who were new to Parkway after the first grade screening occurred or who are new to Parkway at the beginning of second grade. The assessment is used to identify areas of strength in critical thinking and problem-solving. This assessment is administered online typically in September/October. Schools will notify families of the planned assessment date.

• Screening assessments that may be used to assess second through seventh grade students at the building level may include: cognitive, academic, creativity, reasoning and problem-solving assessments. 

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

District Level Testing

• Assessments administered at the district level provide an individualized evaluation of each student by assessing cognitive areas of development. 

• If the student meets two building level screening assessments and the district level building assessment, the student is identified as needing gifted programming.