How are students nominated for gifted education services?

Nominations are often made by classroom teachers; however, any person who has knowledge of a student’s intellectual functioning may nominate that student for further consideration. Additionally, an automatic referral procedure is in place in Effingham County. If you know of a student who you believe should be considered for gifted education services, contact the student’s teacher or the gifted education teacher at the student’s school.    Nomination for Consideration form

How are gifted students identified?

The definition of students eligible for gifted education services in Georgia may be found in State Board of Education (SBOE) 160-4-2-.38 EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR GIFTED STUDENTS [Code IDDD(2)]:

Gifted Student - a student who demonstrates a high degree of intellectual and/or creative ability(ies), exhibits an exceptionally high degree of motivation, and/or excels in specific academic fields, and who needs special instruction and/or special ancillary services to achieve at levels commensurate with his or her abilities. (SBOE Rule 160-4-2-.38, p. 1)

The eligibility criteria for gifted program placement is  provided in SBOE Rule 160-4-2-.38 and in the Effingham County Student Handbook. The Rule describes the four categories for assessment (mental ability, achievement, creativity, and motivation) and the performance standards that must be achieved in each area for a student to become eligible for gifted education services. After a student has been assessed in all four data categories, there are two ways eligibility can be established:

Option 1, the Psychometric Approach:

The student may qualify on the basis of mental ability and achievement assessment results only (regardless of the assessment results in creativity and motivation). In this case the mental ability test score must be a composite or full-scale score. The composite score must be at the 99th percentile for students in grades K-2. The composite score may be at the 96th percentile or higher for students in grades 3-12. In addition, students (grades K-12) must meet at least one of the achievement standards described in the SBOE Rule 160-4-2-.38: 90th percentile Total Reading, 90th percentile Total Math, or 90th percentile total achievement test battery. No student may qualify on the basis of a mental ability test score alone.

Option 2, the Multiple-Criteria Approach:

The student may qualify by meeting the standards in any three of the four data categories, at least one of which must be on a nationally-normed standardized test. Component scores (e.g., Nonverbal Ability), as well as full scale scores, may be used in the area of mental ability.

If a student has been identified as gifted in another state, will he/she be eligible for gifted services in Georgia?

There is no reciprocal eligibility from state to state, as each state establishes its own definition of giftedness and its own rules governing gifted education services. The most expedient way to nominate an out-of-state transfer for possible gifted program placement is to collect all assessment data and present those assessment results to the gifted program teacher at the student’s new school.  Helpful documents include: original eligibility reports, and recent standardized test scores.  The Gifted Education teacher  can then evaluate the types of tests that were given, the dates of those tests, etc., and determine what additional testing (if any) may be required to determine eligibility under the Georgia guidelines.   Test scores over two years old can not be considered.

Do children have to be retested each year to receive gifted services?

No, as long as a student remains in the gifted program and meets the conditions of the Continuation Requirements, he/she does not need to be retested.

However, if a student exits the program, testing may be required to re-enter.