Gifted Evaluation Process

All gifted assessments in the Henry County School District adhere to the rules and regulations established by the Georgia Department of Education. There are three steps in the process of identification and placement of students into the gifted program: referral, evaluation, and determination of eligibility. 

 
Referral

The referral process is the first step towards entrance into the gifted program.  A referral may come as the result of system-wide testing or from teachers, parents, students, or any other individual with knowledge of a student.  Referrals are reviewed by each school’s Student Search Team, which uses data to determine whether further evaluation to determine eligibility for gifted education services should be conducted.  

To refer your student click here. 

Evaluation

Students are evaluated in four areas: mental ability, achievement, creativity, and motivation. Assessment instruments include nationally normed tests, rating scales, and other approved measures. All assessments comply with state rules and regulations. Individual assessment measures require parental consent.

 

Determination of Eligibility

Determination of gifted eligibility is conducted in accordance with Georgia Department of Education rule 160-4-2-.38.  The chart below details the two paths available for gifted eligibility.

 

 

In Option A and B, information shall be gathered in each of the four categories. At least one of the criteria must be met by a score on a GaDOE approved nationally normed reference test. Any data used to establish eligibility in one category shall not be used to establish eligibility in another category. If a rating scale is used to evaluate creativity, a rating scale shall not be used to evaluate motivation. If a rating scale is used to evaluate motivation, a rating scale shall not be used to evaluate creativity. Any piece of information used to establish eligibility shall be current within two years. Local school systems must establish policies in regards to the use of data gathered and analyzed by private entities.

 

Category	Option A	Option B
	Student must have a qualifying score in the mental ability AND achievement categories.	Student must qualify in three of the four categories.
Mental Ability	Grades K-2 99th% percentile composite score on a nationally normed mental ability test   Grades 3-12 ≥96th percentile composite score on a nationally normed mental ability test	Grades K- 12 ≥ 96th percentile composite OR appropriate component score on a nationally normed mental ability tests
Achievement	Grades K-12 ≥ 90th percentile Total Reading, Total Math, or Complete Battery on a nationally normed achievement test	Grades K-12 ≥ 90th percentile Total Reading, Total Math, or Complete Battery on a nationally normed achievement test   Grades K – 12 Superior product/performance with a score ≥ 90 on a scale of 1-100, as evaluated by a panel of three or more qualified evaluators
Creativity	Evaluation data required	Grades K-12 ≥ 90th percentile on composite score on a nationally normed creativity test   Grades K-12 Rating scales used to qualify student creativity must equate to the 90th percentile   Grades K-12 Superior product/performance with a score ≥ 90 on a scale of 1-100, as evaluated by a panel of three or more qualified evaluators
Motivation	Evaluation data required	Grades 6-12 Two-year average of a 3.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale in regular core subject of mathematics, English/language arts, social studies, science, and full year world languages   Grades K-12 Rating scales used to qualify student motivation must equate to the 90th percentile   Grades K – 12 Superior product/performance with a score ≥ 90 on a scale of 1-100, as evaluated by a panel of three or more qualified evaluators

Any Student who has met eligibility criteria for gifted education services in any Georgia Local Education Agency and who meets Henry County Schools criteria for continuation of gifted education services shall be considered eligible for gifted education services in Henry County Schools.

 

a. There is no mandated reciprocity of services between states.

b. If a parent reports that a student received gifted education services in his/her prior state, the receiving school will begin the gifted evaluation process within 60 school days.

 

Any student who is a dependent of active duty military personnel, who transfers from any school inside or outside of the state, and who received gifted education services in his/her previous school is eligible to receive gifted education services in Henry County Schools. Student's progress will be monitored in accordance with continuation criteria to ensure appropriate placement of the student.