Information about Gifted Students
Gifted Students
GIFTED STUDENTS: WHO ARE THEY?
The following description of the identification process reflects the South Carolina definition of gifted and talented and is in keeping with the National Excellence Report (1995) which states:
Children and youth with outstanding talent perform or show the potential for performing at remarkably high levels of accomplishment when compared with others of their age, experience, or environment. [They] exhibit high performance capability in intellectual, creative, and/or artistic areas, possess an unusual leadership capacity/or excel in specific academic fields. They require services or activities not ordinarily provided by the schools. Outstanding talents are present in children and youth from all cultural groups, across all economic strata, and in all areas of human endeavor.
Identification Purposes
The purposes of the identification process are:
- to find students who display characteristics of the gifted and talented (i.e., ability or potential)
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to assess the aptitudes, attributes, and behaviors of each student;
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to evaluate each student for the purpose of placement
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to provide appropriate academic programs and services to meet their needs.
IDENTIFICATION PROCESS
Gifted and talented students may be found within any racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic group; within any nationality; within both genders; and within populations with disabilities. Identification is a multi-step process, which consists of referral, screening, and assessment of eligibility by a district evaluation and placement team. In order to qualify for placement in gifted/talented programs, a student must meet the eligibility criteria in TWO out of the following three dimensions:
Dimension A -- Reasoning*
Students must score at or above the 93rd national age percentile on a nationally normed aptitude test. Students may be eligible for placement on the basis of aptitude scores alone if they score at or above the 96th national age percentile on the composite score of a nationally normed aptitude test.
Dimension B --Achievement
Students must score at or above the 94th national percentile on approved reading or math subtests on a nationally normed achievement test such as MAP (Fall or Spring) or score at the performance standard level set at the state level on the South Carolina ELA and/or math tests. Students are NOT eligible on the basis of achievement scores alone.
Dimension C -- Academic Performance is only applied if student has already met Dimension A or B. For placement in grades 3-6, a student must achieve a performance standard set on verbal or non-verbal performance tasks which are administered in February of each year. Beginning in grade 6, a 3.75 grade point average in the academic disciplines may also be used.
Evaluation for Placement:
Automatic Eligibility for Placement: A composite score of 96th national age percentile or higher on a nationally normed aptitude or intelligence test.
No private testing will be accepted for eligibility, but those results may be considered for referral purposes. Parents are notified by letter when a student qualifies for the gifted program. Those students who are referred, evaluated, and do not qualify are also notified by mail.
Screening/Referral/Assessment Profile
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Criteria
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Examples of Qualifying Test(s)
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Dimension A: Reasoning Ability
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93rd age percentile or higher on a nationally normed aptitude test (Verbal (V), Nonverbal (NV), Quantitative (Q), Composite (C))
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CogAT (V, NV, Q, C)
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Dimension B: High Achievement in Reading and/or Mathematical Areas
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94th percentile or higher on nationally normed achievement test or Qualifying score on SC state test set annually by the state
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MAP(Fall/Spring) Iowa Test of Basic Skills TerraNova 2 MAT8 Stanford 10 SC Ready
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Dimension C: Intellectual/Academic Performance
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Qualifying score on
South Carolina Performance Tasks (Verbal or Nonverbal) Rising grades 3-6 OR 3.75 GPA for Rising 6th and above
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(administered annually in February/March)
GPA on 4.0 scale for core content classes and yearlong world language |
Screening Information
GIFTED AND TALENTED SCREENING INFORMATION
The South Carolina State Department of Education has approved specific assessments for the purposes of identifying academically gifted learners. Below are the different screeners administered throughout the year in District Five of Lexington and Richland Counties. Please refer to the Screener Descriptions below.
Learned reasoning abilities in the areas of Verbal Reasoning Ability (problem solving with the use of words), Nonverbal Reasoning Ability (problem solving without the use of words), and Quantitative Reasoning Ability (reasoning within mathematical problems).
Results are nationally-normed
Which Dimension of SC’s Gifted Identification Process Does the Test Meet?
A: Reasoning Abilities
When Is This Test Administered?
Fall
What Grade Level(s) Participate in This Test?
All Students in Grade 2 and Grade 4
+ (IA) Iowa Assessment
What Does This Test Measure?
Specific subject area content skills of reading comprehension and mathematical problem solving.
Results are nationally normed.
Which Dimension of SC’s Gifted Identification Process Does the Test Meet?
B: Academic Achievement
When Is This Test Administered?
FALL
What Grade Level(s) Participate in This Test?
All Students in Grade 2
+ NWEA MAP (Measures of Academic Progress)
What Does This Test Measure?
Measures what students know in reading and math regardless of their grade level.
Results are nationally normed.
Which Dimension of SC’s Gifted Identification Process Does the Test Meet?
B: Academic Achievement
When Is This Test Administered?
FALL
Winter
SPRING
What Grade Level(s) Participate in This Test?
All Students Grades K-8
+ SC READY (South Carolina College-and Career-Ready Assessments)
What Does This Test Measure?
The SC READY is a state-wide assessment assessing English/Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics. This assessment is aligned to SC state standards for English/Language Arts and mathematics.
SC Ready results are state normed
Which Dimension of SC’s Gifted Identification Process Does the Test Meet?
B: Academic Achievement
When Is This Test Administered?
SPRING
What Grade Level(s) Participate in This Test?
All Students Grades K-8
+ SC PTA (SC Performance Task Assessment)
What Does This Test Measure?
Measures verbal and nonverbal reasoning and problem-solving abilities using a hands-on, performance-based format.
The distinguishing feature of the SC PTA is the provision for pre-teaching during the assessment process. The purpose of the pre-teaching is to familiarize inexperienced students with the task demands of the items and to clarify performance expectations before the actual testing occurs.
SC Performance Task Assessments are created by the state of SC and are scored using a rubric.
Which Dimension of SC’s Gifted Identification Process Does the Test Meet?
C: Intellectual Performance
When Is This Test Administered?
SPRING
What Grade Level(s) Participate in This Test?
Students who have partially qualified in either Dimension A OR B in Grades 2-5
+ GPA (Grade Point Average*)
What Does This Test Measure?
A student’s performance in the academic disciplines (ELA, mathematics, social studies, and science) that is calculated as the total number of grade points received over an academic year divided by the total credits awarded.
*GPA is not an assessment but can be used to qualify students who have met criteria in Dimensions A or B.
Which Dimension of SC’s Gifted Identification Process Does the Test Meet?
C: Academic Performance
When Is This Test Administered?
End of the Academic Year
What Grade Level(s) Participate in This Test?
Students who have partially qualified in either Dimension A OR B in Grades 5-10
Programs
ELEMENTARY PROGRAMS
Students in grade five, who have been identified as academically gifted, are served in the area of their strength in either an AGP content class for reading and/or math instruction daily. Students in grade 3 and 4 are served in either an AGP content class for reading and/or math instruction or in an AGP resource classroom once a week. Both the content model and the resource room model offer intensive activities geared toward advanced learning in the curriculum through the state core curriculum standards and beyond with state-mandated standards for gifted and talented students.
Escolares Academy at Harbison West Elementary School is a full-day gifted program for academically gifted elementary students. Students who apply to the program are admitted based on the results of a weighted profile.
MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAMS
Students in grades six through eight are served through honors classes in reading/language arts, mathematics, science and social studies. Students who meet the criteria for placement into these classes are served in the area(s) of their academic strength(s). These subjects are accelerated and taught with greater rigor, depth, and complexity. Those students who desire more extensive gifted services may choose to participate in after-school activities such as Mock Trial or other competitions.
HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS
Academically gifted and talented students in grades nine through twelve who meet the requirements of the selected program may participate in honors classes or advanced placement courses such as English, art, statistics, foreign languages, chemistry and calculus. Programs for gifted learners include STEM at Dutch Fork High School, International Baccalaureate at Irmo High School and Academic Leadership Academy at Chapin High School. Students may also participate in a variety of other academic activities such as Mock Trial, Model UN, Science Team and/or Math Team. These opportunities vary at each high school.
For specific information regarding the programs in School District Five of Lexington and Richland Counties, contact:
Lisa Duda, Coordinator of Gifted Programs
803-476-8167
Shirley Cope, Assistant
sfcope@lexrich5.org
803-476-8129