All children have special abilities and strengths, but some have gifts that are far beyond those of other children their age. If you think that your child has an unusual ability in one or more areas such as math or reading or in the arts or leadership, you may want to begin the process of formal identification by filling out a Gifted and Talented Nomination Form.

The criteria that the district currently uses to determine whether or not a child is gifted include a score of 95 or above on the most recent standardized test and work samples or a portfolio. In addition, the student must score high on a rating scale called the Gifted Evaluation Scale.

Students may be nominated and identified at any time. Young children (grades K-2) for whom we do not have enough standardized test data may be put on alert.

The first step is to discuss this with your child’s teacher. He or she will be able to tell you how your child’s abilities compare with other children his or her age. Be aware that gifted children do not always behave perfectly and occasionally teachers do not “see” giftedness in children who are disruptive or who may challenge the teacher. If you agree that the child should be nominated, you may fill out the Gifted and Talented Nomination Form. If you and the teacher do not agree and you feel strongly that your child may be gifted, contact your Supportive Resource Teacher (SRT). A list of SRTs is included under Where To Go For Help.

Gifted students tend to have characteristics such as:

• advanced vocabulary for their age

• ability to learn new things very quickly

• outstanding memory

• ability and preference for thinking on a higher, more abstract level than their peers

• sophisticated sense of humor

• ability to see connections between apparently unlike things and to transfer concepts to new situations 

   

Identification of Gifted Students

Green Bay Area Public Schools use the Marland definition of giftedness as cited in Wisconsin School Law, Chapter 118.35: In this section, “gifted and talented pupils” means pupils enrolled in public schools who give evidence of high performance capability in intellectual, creative, artistic, leadership, or specific academic areas and who need services or activities not ordinarily provided in a regular school program in order to fully develop such capabilities.

Green Bay Area Public Schools identify students as gifted and talented in one or more areas using multiple criteria (Wisconsin statute, standard t). These criteria include student performance on standardized tests such as the Wisconsin Knowledge Concepts Examination (WKCE) and Measures of Academic Progress (MAP); parent, teacher, or student nomination; ranking on the Gifted Evaluation Scale; portfolios or samples of student work; and other proof of student achievement or potential. Because giftedness exists in all socioeconomic and ethnic groups, attention is paid to equity in identification and services to students from traditionally under represented populations.

The process begins with a nomination and the collection of data. Parents and teachers are asked to complete the Gifted Evaluation Scale. The data are used to create a student profile and determine the appropriate placement for the student.

Level I identification criteria include two or more of the following:

• Score in the 95th to 96th percentile on the most recent standardized test

• Standard score between 13 and 15 on the Gifted Evaluation Scale

• Student work samples or portfolio

Level II identification criteria include two or more of the following:

• Score in the 97th to 99th percentile on the most recent standardized test

• Standard score between 16 and 20 on the Gifted Evaluation Scale

• Student work samples or portfolio

The standardized tests that are used are achievement tests; that is, they reflect what the student has already learned and can apply. In rare cases, an IQ test may be administered by a school psychologist. An IQ test is an aptitude test which can identify student potential in several areas.