How to get child into gifted program

Gifted Education (for Parents) - Nemours KidsHealth

Many parents believe their children should be in their school's gifted program. But only about 6% of all U.S. K-12 students are considered academically gifted.

Gifted Students vs. Bright Students

Parents should understand that many bright, intelligent, and talented kids and teens might not qualify for gifted education.

So it can be helpful to know some of the general differences between bright students and gifted students. For instance:

Bright students may know the answers and enjoy school, but gifted students have advanced insight and enjoy learning in any setting.
Bright students may have good ideas and like the company of their peers, but gifted students might have wild, highly imaginative ideas and may prefer the company of older children or adults.
Bright learners may be good memorizers and learn in a linear, sequential way, but gifted learners have a deep fund of knowledge and thrive on complex learning challenges.
Bright students may easily absorb information and be pleased with what they learn, but gifted students use information they learn to gain even more knowledge and always want to learn more.

Programs Vary by State

To help ensure that schools and teachers meet gifted children's educational needs, parents should learn their state's policies or guidelines on identifying and providing services for gifted students. Your school principal or other administrator can provide information specific to your child's school.

While federal laws mandate educational modifications for students with learning disabilities, there is no federal requirement for gifted education. Similarly, some states do not have requirements or funding for gifted students.

The federal government does, however, have a definition for gifted students in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001: Gifted and talented students are those "who give evidence of high achievement capability in areas such as intellectual, creative, artistic, or leadership capacity, or in specific academic fields, and who need services or activities not ordinarily provided by the school in order to fully develop those capabilities. " Many states have based their own definitions of gifted students on that federal description.

Programs go by many different names, including gifted and talented education (GATE), talented and gifted (TAG), and academically gifted or talented.

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Screening

Screening for gifted education can be requested by parents or guardians, teachers, or school administrators when students demonstrate they are capable of advanced academic achievement. Schools usually require written requests.

Identifying gifted kids can be done through many types of tests. Some schools screen entire grades of students in early elementary years, while others may use a partial or full-scale IQ test or other aptitude or achievement tests on an individual basis if students appear to be achieving above their grade level.

Initial screenings may include:

partial IQ tests
achievement test reviews
questionnaires completed by teachers and parents or guardians
classwork reviews

If initial screenings indicate potential giftedness, then a psychologist administers a full-scale IQ test or other aptitude evaluation.

If initial screening does not indicate potential giftedness, parents can appeal the decision and request further testing, or even pay for private testing themselves. Parents who pay for their own testing should make sure to find out if the results will be accepted by school officials. In many schools, students who are not deemed gifted by initial or full screenings can be re-evaluated after a year.

Some schools consider a student with an IQ score of 130 or more to be gifted. Other schools require students to meet multiple criteria.

Gifted Individualized Education Plans (GIEPs)

If a student meets his or her school's criteria for gifted education, goals are created for that student in what is usually called a gifted individualized education plan (GIEP).

Many states require that parents or guardians, teachers, and administrative staff meet to develop an instruction plan that covers:

goals based on academic strengths
how instruction will be modified
how progress will be monitored
educational outcomes (expected grades or performance)

In many states, GIEPs may call for parents or guardians, teachers, and administrative staff to meet annually to review progress and possibly revise the plan.

Each GIEP is customized to each child's individual abilities, because gifted students can vary greatly in their strengths. For example, some may be gifted in math, but not in language arts, while others may have strengths in multiple subjects.

GIEPs may include long-term and short-term goals that can include accelerated curriculum or instruction above the student's grade level.

In states that do not require meetings and instruction plans, gifted students are usually given opportunities to work on enrichment projects or above-grade-level assignments outside the classroom, usually with gifted peers. Progress is monitored on through regular report cards.

In some schools, special teachers are responsible for implementing and monitoring the education of gifted students in small groups or one-on-one sessions. In other schools, the regular classroom teacher is the main instructor and confers with students' gifted case managers, gifted consulting teachers, or other school staff to create projects that enrich or extend learning.

In middle and high school, gifted students' goals may be met through higher-level courses or Advanced Placement (AP) or honors courses. Some gifted students can meet their individualized education goals by advancing multiple grade levels in specific subject areas.

While all students need to be monitored academically, GIEPs and similar education plans call for customized monitoring to help ensure that gifted students reach their learning potentials.

How Does a Child Get into a Gifted Program?

Getting a child into a gifted program can be a confusing process for parents, especially because the policies for gifted education vary from state to state. If parents or educators believe a student is gifted, the most frequent method for a student to gain entry to gifted classes or a gifted program is by getting identified as gifted. Depending on the school, various methods to identify gifted students are used, and most begin the identification process starting in second grade or even earlier.

How does a student get into gifted classes?

The criteria for testing a student for giftedness is determined at the state and district level. Since the federal government does not provide specific guidance or have requirements for gifted services, services can vary widely between different regions – even among the same state!

School districts use varying processes to screen students when determining who gets into specific programs. Most screening processes begin with referrals by parents and teachers. They will often use an IQ or assessment test to measure specific skills. Other parts of the screening process include surveys and aptitude tests. See NAGC’s Gifted by State page for state-by-state policies.

There are numerous important questions to ask when seeking a gifted assessment, including information on credentials/training, experience with gifted children, using the results for educational planning, and more.

Low-Cost Gifted Programs

Once a student is identified, there are a few low-cost accommodations schools can make that don’t require a large amount of funds, just flexibility on the part of educators and administrators. Some of these low-cost options include:

Early entrance to kindergarten or first grade
Self-contained, multi-age gifted classes
Subject and/or grade acceleration
Dual enrollment (middle and high school; high school and college)

Some school districts offer specialized techniques and services, such as gifted pull-out programs, ability grouping, enrichment programs, and more.

What methods do schools use to identify gifted students?

The various methods schools use to identify gifted students (e.g. test scores, screening programs, teacher nominations) can be surprising for parents. Identification is highly dependent on the state, school district, and local school.

Most parents seek gifted identification of their child in order to gain entry to certain gifted programs or services. Some schools that offer gifted curriculum will use testing as a measurement tool to qualify students who score above a certain threshold. Depending on local gifted education policies in place, entire grades of students may be screened early on, or IQ tests may be administered on an individual basis if a child appears to perform above their grade level.

How to Get Your Child Tested for Giftedness

What is the difference between gifted testing and assessment?

Gifted testing

Gifted testing involves the administration of a standardized test in a specific format, often defined by the publisher of the test, to ensure the test is given to every person in a consistent manner. This may include the way in which questions are presented, the exact wording a tester must use, specific time limits, or a discontinuation point at which the student can no longer answer questions correctly and must move on.

Gifted assessment

Gifted assessment is much more comprehensive – and for that reason, can be significantly more costly. In an assessment, parents work with a trained professional who uses their expertise to determine what information needs to be gathered and the most appropriate tools for collecting that information; observe the child while collecting this information; and then provide an interpretation of their findings to establish the child’s complete learning profile. Detailed information on the child’s strengths, challenges, learning style, educational needs, and individual characteristics, and recommendations for meeting the child’s needs, will be provided.

Read more about Gifted Testing and Assessment

Types of Gifted Tests

The two main categories for gifted identification are achievement tests and abilities tests.

Achievement tests

Achievement tests look for a child’s knowledge in a subject area. They may be group-administered, like the SAT and ACT, or they might be administered individually by a trained professional, like the Woodcock Johnson Tests of Achievement. Achievement tests can be used as gifted testing to screen students for particular areas of academic strength.

Abilities tests

Abilities tests evaluate a child’s cognitive abilities or IQ. These are delivered individually by a trained professional, often someone with an advanced degree in education, psychology, or social work.

How to Get Your Child Tested for Giftedness

How do I prepare my child for gifted testing?

Even the smallest of factors can impact a gifted child’s assessment situation and outcomes. In particular, assessment situations often take place in an environment unfamiliar to the gifted student and are usually administered by an unfamiliar person to the student. It is recommended that families follow normal test day routines leading up to the assessment.

Gifted Testing Checklist

Get sufficient sleep the night before and stay hydrated and nourished
Schedule a test during your child’s peak performance hours, when they tend to do best (i.e. not at the end of a long school day or other activity)
Take a transition break to stretch and walk before going into the assessment center
Frame the test as an engaging activity rather than as a pass-or-fail exam
Keep water, snacks, and tissues on hand to help limit any physical discomfort
Practice anxiety-reducing techniques at home, such as breathing exercises, so that your child can be prepared if they get stressed

If your child has allergies, an injury, or feels under the weather and you still feel attending the assessment is a priority, be sure to disclose these factors to the individual administering the test so that they are accounted for and included in the written evaluation and results of the assessment.

See: How to Prepare Your Child for Gifted Testing

Are behavioral problems a determining factor for eligibility into gifted programs?

Children who are twice-exceptional (2E) often have learning differences or disabilities along with exceptional abilities. This mix of strengths and challenges creates a complex learning profile, and can result in masking part of the child’s learning profile.

Testing and assessing twice-exceptional students can prove difficult because there won’t be one test that definitively identifies twice-exceptionality. Often a piece-by-piece approach can prove effective for determining eligibility into gifted programs. An IQ test may measure some aspects of their learning profile, a vision test may provide additional context, and qualitative teacher and parent assessments may provide another layer of insight into the whole child. To gain a complete understanding of a 2E child’s profile, parents may need to seek out several types of specialists.

See Hoagies’ Gifted list of professionals familiar with the gifted.

Twice-Exceptional (2E) Students

Giftedness and 2e challenges CAN be addressed at the same time. These students need to be challenged in areas in which they’re gifted, and they simultaneously need support in areas where they struggle. Parents must be active in communicating with the school to determine what accommodations are being made to assist and make learning easier for 2e students.

At the Davidson Academy, there are a number of profoundly gifted students with Section 504 Plan accommodations or Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) attending both campuses. The educational planning for each student with a disability is based upon processes that address legal requirements for educational settings, evaluation, placement, reevaluation, and procedural safeguards. The Davidson Academy special education services team consists of Davidson Academy staff members, as well as contracted professionals who specialize in relevant areas of assessment and practice.

The Davidson Institute Guidebook, Twice-Exceptional: A Resource Guide for Parents, has detailed information on 2E assessment and more.

Special Considerations in Gifted Identification and Assessment

Conclusion

While there are many factors to consider in attempting to gain entrance into a gifted program, communicating effectively with your gifted child’s school is of utmost importance. If your current schooling situation doesn’t provide the education your gifted student needs, the next question is often how to apply for a gifted school. Profoundly gifted students often look to the Davidson Academy as an option.

In 2006, the Davidson Academy’s Reno campus opened as the first free public school of its kind for profoundly gifted middle and high school students. Unlike traditional school settings, the Academy’s classes group students by ability rather than age. In 2016, a fully accredited online campus was added to the Davidson Academy’s offerings for the 2017-2018 academic year. To attend either option, students should score in the 99.9th percentile on accepted intelligence and/or achievement tests; perform at a required academic level; exhibit intellectual and academic achievement; demonstrate motivation, social and emotional maturity, and an overall readiness for a fast-paced educational environment.

See also:

10 Characteristics of Profoundly Gifted Students
Ability Grouping for Gifted Students
Choosing the Right School for Your Gifted Child
The Benefits of Online Learning for Gifted Students
What does Profoundly Gifted Mean?

About the "gifted" program in elementary school.

I promised to write about our "gifted" program. As usual, I will try to focus on the principles of rather than the details, and what was new for me in the approach.

To begin with, the program in our "Fifteenth Consolidated District" is one of the oldest in the state, and in a certain sense unique, because in many other districts, gifted children simply "go through the program", and we have our own , a special, separate program. And here is the most important difference: until I myself encountered the program, I believed that a gifted child is capable in some particular area, in music there, or in mathematics. And she was not familiar with the concept of "giftedness in general", or "cognitive giftedness". Already when my children began to study in this program, I began to read various, including domestic literature on this topic, and it turned out that similar studies were carried out in Russia, and that the same "non-standard" concept of giftedness was considered by V.S. . Yurkevich around the same years, and was not only considered, but also applied :-)

in a nutshell, a gifted child is a child who shows special abilities in the very process of gaining knowledge . In grades 1-2, the teacher should pay attention to whether there are "cognitively gifted" children in his class, and if there are any, then he should somehow "load" them additionally. In the second grade, in the middle of the year, "giftedness tests" are conducted, these are, in fact, tests of cognitive abilities. These tests are carried out "in passing", ie. children themselves do not know that they are being "tested for giftedness" at this moment. In addition to cognitive tests, they look at how well children read, since slow reading children are simply not able to "catch up" in this program.

Test results are reported to parents. If a child falls under the criterion of giftedness, then parents are offered to transfer him to special "gifted" classes (this is about "five percent from above"), and about another five percent - the so-called "second level" - they are not transferred to a special class, but on some time during the school day they are sent to more advanced classes. To be honest, I don’t know the details about this very “second level”, because although at first Vlad was assigned there, but then ... they changed their minds. But this is another story, I can tell you later :-)).

Parents of are not required to agree to the proposed transfer of the child. Some do not agree, because it is necessary to change the school. Some simply do not want the child to be not "best in class" but "one of the many". If the parent does not want, say, the child to go to a "gifted" program in 3rd grade, then the child can be transferred later. There will be no retesting. If a child did not pass the giftedness test, then at the request of the parents, they can be tested for the next year, and the next, etc., up to the 7th grade (it does not make sense anymore, because in high school there are other principles of distribution of children according to programs).

For the "gifted" program, children from several schools are combined into one, sometimes, if there are few children, grades 3/4 and/or 5/6 are combined into one class. My students in the 3rd and 4th grades went to a different school in such a combined 3/4 grade, then the 5/6 grade was already in our own, and when they were in the 6th grade, they were divided, because the class turned out to be very large (35 people ).

At Junior High, in grades 7-8, there were already "dedicated classes" for the gifted, but I probably need to talk about that system in general separately, so for now I will limit myself to elementary school.

***

... I remember the very first meeting for "gifted" parents, at the end of 2nd grade. I remember how it began with the words: Dear parents, do not think that you are lucky. Do not think that having a gifted child is simply that he will not have problems at school... initiatives. If some "extra knowledge" was obtained from this, it was not because the program included more mathematics or physics, but because the children themselves got to these new areas. Even more than in regular classes, class discussions were encouraged, and I remember how in the fourth grade Mrs. Cochrane said that she did not have time to tell what she had planned, because the children themselves were talking too interestingly, and she did not want to interrupt them :-) . True, in fairness it should be noted that it was Mrs. Cochrane, who was in love with the natural sciences, physics and astronomy, who infected the entire class with her research interest, and we jumped out with the children on frosty winter nights to look at the lunar eclipse or at the opposition of Venus. it was she who, with stunning clarity, demonstrated to the 4th graders how electricity "works": in the hands of a piece of paper, and as soon as you receive another piece of paper from a neighbor, you must immediately pass one to another neighbor so that you never have more than one piece of paper in your hands ...

... Vlad and I couldn't remember if the kids were doing a "business project" in math in fourth or fifth grade: I don't remember how much "conditional money" was in the problem, it seems like a million dollars, but 100% not sure. It was necessary to “open a business” with this money, here, in Palatina or nearby, really look through the ads and find some kind of real estate for rent for business needs, decide what kind of business you want to open, make a justification why it would be useful for society :-), write a business plan with expenses, materials, equipment and salaries. Profitability was not expected, because what is the profitability in the first year :-)).

***

Years 5 and 6 are the years of Mrs Fig, an amazing teacher and amazing person. She, although she herself had a daughter - a schoolgirl, just the same lived at school with "her" children, prepared a school team to participate in the Lego championship :-). Vlad all the time, and then too, had problems with "forgetting" what was given at home. Mrs Fig said that she would send me e-mails every day, with a list of what Vlad was listed :-). This is not about a gifted program, this is about Mrs Fig: I often read how our domestic teachers complain that they have irregular working hours, that they are forced to sit at night checking notebooks, that they also do not have the opportunity to study with those who are lagging behind .. Well, when I read this, every time I remember one e-mail from Mrs Fig. This e-mail came to me at about half past seven in the evening, and it was written in it the following: Miz N. , I'm sorry that I'm writing so late, I had to pick up my daughter from music, and here I am just returned to school . So, Vlad needs to do something today... . But if something specific is interesting, then ask now, because you understand that I can talk about six years in the gifted program ... six more years :-))

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