Embedded Files
In Spring ISD, students who may qualify for gifted services are evaluated in the area of general intellectual ability.
The identification process consists of three stages: referral, screening, and selection. According to the Texas State Plan for Gifted Education, the Gifted and Talented Committee should conduct a balanced review of collected assessment data. In Spring ISD, this process includes both quantitative and qualitative measures. Quantitative measures involve aptitude and achievement testing, such as CogAT (reasoning and problem-solving skills), MAP, and STAAR, while qualitative measures include inventories completed by parents and teachers.
What does CogAT assess?
Verbal – Measures a child’s ability to recall and manipulate sequences of words, understand their meaning, and draw inferences or make judgments based on them.
Quantitative – Measures a child’s understanding of fundamental numerical concepts and relationships.
Non-Verbal – Measures reasoning skills through the use of pictures and geometric shapes.
It’s important to remember that capacity can vary by individual, topic, subject, or skill. We all have different strengths in how we learn. For instance, a student may have a greater capacity for grasping complex mathematical concepts than for understanding material in English or art.
Step 1: Referrals
Referrals for gifted services may be submitted by parents, teachers, administrators, or anyone with the student's best interest in-mind.
The following list are the populations that will be automatically referred:
All Kindergarten and 2nd grade students
Elementary students scoring Masters Grade Level on the STAAR test who are not already identified as G/T
Students in the 85th percentile or higher on the EOY MAP assessment who are not already identified as G/T
Elementary Emergent Bilingual students enrolled in two-way Dual Language (Northgate Crossing Elementary and Beneke Elementary) who are not already identified as G/T
Any referral made by teachers, counselors, parents, or other interested persons of K-11 students who are not already identified as G/T.
Step 2: Screening
Both qualitative and quantitative data are collected during this stage.
Step 3: Selection
After all data is gathered, a GT Committee - composed of the Advanced Academics team - meets to review the information. The committee determines whether the student demonstrates an educational need for gifted services.
Learner Profiles
When identifying potential candidates during the Referral Window, refer to the Advanced Learner profiles provided below. These profiles describe a variety of characteristics and behaviors often observed in advanced learners. Keep in mind that students may exhibit some, many, or even just a few of these traits—there is no single “required” pattern. Each learner is unique, and advanced abilities can present in different ways across academic, creative, and social-emotional domains.
Page updated
Report abuse