Eligibility Process:
The GCPS Office of Gifted Education Services seeks to identify and provide for students within our community who are demonstrating advanced abilities or potential for advanced performance. GCPS will provide appropriately differentiated educational services in accordance with the abilities and aptitudes of identified students from kindergarten to graduation. Students may be considered for services in the following areas: intellectual aptitude and specific academic aptitude.
Screening Process:
The GCPS Office of Gifted Education Services screens annually, through division-wide testing done in the first semester of the school year and other criteria, to target and provide challenging experiences for high-ability students in our community.
Referral Process:
All referrals must be received by February 1st.
A student is referred to the gifted education services eligibility process based on one or more of the following criteria:
A need for challenging instructional services
Available standardized test information
Academic performance
Behavioral and cognitive characteristics
Parental information
Referral forms are available from the Office of Gifted Education Services, on the web, a student’s home school, or the Office of Gifted Education Services located in the School Board Office, 6099 T.C. Walker Road. Once permission has been received for student evaluation, multiple sources of data are collected on the student. The criteria include standardized testing completed by the gifted specialist and/or division-wide standardized testing (ability and achievement), a portfolio of samples of work that exhibit progress in a particular area, and the Scales for Identifying Gifted Students, completed by a parent or guardian.
Eligibility/Placement Committee:
Once all information has been collected, each student’s information will be reviewed by a Division-level Eligibility/Placement committee composed of school-based teachers, school-based administrators, and Division-level staff with endorsement or training in gifted education services. All data are reviewed and students are found eligible or not eligible for gifted education services.
Written notification of the Eligibility/Placement Committee decision will be provided to the parent/guardian of each referred student. If a student is found eligible, parent/guardian permission is required before a student will receive services. An appeals process is provided with all notification letters and decisions may be appealed within ten working days of notification of the Eligibility/Placement Committee’s decision.