Gifted and Talented Overview
Areas of Giftedness
Students identified for Gifted and Talented services are not selected as a reward for either good performance or model behavior but because they have different learning needs. Therefore, the goal of the identification process is to apply comprehensive and unbiased procedures to find students who possess superior abilities and/or potential in one or more of the following state-identified areas of giftedness:
• General Intellectual Ability: Demonstrated excellence in most academic areas.
• Specific Academic Ability: Exceptional ability and performance in a single academic area.
• Creativity: Exceptional ability to use divergent and unconventional thinking in arriving at creative and unusual ideas or solutions to problems.
• Leadership: Exceptional ability to relate to and motivate others
• Artistic - Performing Arts: Ability to create or perform in music in a way that suggests exceptional talent.
• Artistic – Visual Arts: Ability to paint, sculpt, photograph or arrange media in a way that suggests exceptional talent.
Identification Process
All nominated students are screened in the Spring for areas of giftedness following the same general format. The G&T Coordinator collects pertinent data. In late Spring, the G&T Screening Committee [a team of teachers, administrators and the G&T Coordinator] will review the data and determine whether students are eligible as gifted and talented in each area.
No specific score on any one measure determines eligibility. The G&T Screening Committee does not produce individual eligibility reports. Parents / guardians may appeal the decisions of the G&T Screening Committee to the District Administrator.
Identification Tools
To identify students, the St. Louis Public Schools uses multiple, culturally-sensitive criteria appropriate to each category of giftedness. Three types of data are used in the process of identifying a student as gifted:
1. Test data (e.g. MEAP data, STAR Reading, STAR Math, Benchmark Assessments, Classroom Assessments.)
2. Performance Data (e.g. grades, student work samples and recordings, grade level benchmark tests)
3. Supporting Data: (e.g. Gifted and Talented Evaluation Scales, Parent, teacher and student nomination forms and checklists, letters of recommendation)
Nomination Form and Parent/Guardian Inventory
Parents, guardians, and students can nominate students for consideration. Nomination forms can be picked up at the TS Nurnberger office. Complete the forms and submit them to the office at TSN. Be sure to submit one nomination form for each area of giftedness.
Parents and Guardians nominating a student must also complete a Parent/Guardian Inventory as part of the screening process. These forms can also be picked up at the TSN office. Please complete all forms and return to TSN. Only submit one inventory, regardless of the number of nominated areas.
All nominated students will be screened for the area(s) indicated for consideration, with supporting documents brought to the G&T Screening Committee in the spring for review.
Note: If your child has been identified previously, you do not have to re-nominate her/him.
