What are Gifted and Talented Services?

Students in K-12 shall be assessed and, if identified, provided Gifted and Talented Services. These services provide academic enrichment services for identified students demonstrating superior intellectual giftedness through standardized aptitude and achievement tests, as well as GT characteristics scales, classroom Planned Experiences, and classroom work. 

Who can request GT identification testing?

Testing can be requested by teachers, students, parents/guardians, counselors, or administrators throughout the school year.  Students in grades K-2 are encouraged to wait until their GT Planned Experiences and/or aptitude assessments indicate GT testing readiness. Students identified as GT in other public school districts, who can provide acceptable testing documentation, will begin GT Services as soon as their documentation is received and approved by the district.

How will the GT testing be administered?

After returning  a completed Permission to Test form, your student will be pulled out of the regular classroom for 6-9 small group testing sessions during a six week testing round.  Testing sessions are arranged between the GT facilitator and the classroom teacher and will not exceed one hour in length.

How will my student qualify for GT Services?

After the tests are complete, the facilitator will compile a data sheet (profile), review results with a campus selection committee, and forward service recommendations to the district screening committee for review and placement recommendations. 

How will I be notified of the GT identification testing results?

At the end of the testing round, after the district selection committee has met, your child will bring home a sealed letter informing you of their placement recommendation.  If your student qualifies for GT Services, they will begin receiving GT Services as soon as an enclosed Permission to Serve form has been returned.  If your student does not qualify, they must wait at least one calendar year before retesting.

 If my student qualifies for GT Services, how will they be served?

GT Services are designed to develop skills in the areas of critical and creative thinking, problem solving, communication, self awareness, and reference skills for students demonstrating gifted abilities.  The specific services each student receives vary, depending on the student’s placement recommendation and emerging educational, social, and emotional needs.  

 How do I start the GT identification process?

You may either contact your child’s teacher or Ms. Robinson, HVE’s GT Facilitator, to request GT Testing Referral forms.  Simply fill out the forms and questions and return it to the campus GT Facilitator (this can be done via your child's classroom teacher). 

 Gifted and Talented Characteristics

 Parents/guardians and teachers are often in the best position to provide information regarding their student’s emerging abilities.  An Observation Survey of GT Characteristics will be provided for completion and consideration in the GT identification process.   Students with GT aptitude often display some of the following characteristics:

1. Advanced Language:  Uses advanced language compared to peers. Enjoys telling detailed stories.  Has large storehouse of information and extensive vocabulary. Expressive. Makes comparisons to explain relationships.
2. Analytical Thinking:  Has a high level of problem solving and reasoning skills.  Aware. Observes surroundings intensely and is attentive to details in the environment. Understands complex ideas and thoughts. Sees patterns. Thinks deeply.         
3. Meaning Motivation:  Curious.  Asks questions to make sense of rules and relationships.  Generates original solutions to problems. Persistent in areas of interest. Creates unique products and innovations. Makes unexpected connections.
4. Perspective:  Understands different points of view.  Insightful.  Values fairness.  Sees the “bigger picture.”  Creative when solving problems or looking for solutions. Demonstrates complex perspective in work.        
5. Sense of Humor:  Understands and uses subtle nuances of language.  Highly creative, fun loving, witty. Experiments with language figuratively for humorous effect. Unusual imagination.          
6. Sensitivity:  Empathetic.  Internalizes others feelings and emotions.  Shows awareness of problems that others may not recognize.  Exhibits concern for world issues. Cares deeply.  Extensive memory about people and conversations.  
7. Accelerated Learning:  Learns quickly.  Large storehouse of information.  Sees patterns in procedures, experiences, ideas. Sees logical and common sense answers.  Performs better with more challenging or complex tasks.