Protocol for Testing and Evaluating Kindergarten Students

• Kindergarten students need to be observed and monitored by their teacher for the first semester of the school year.
• Teachers may nominate a kindergarten student for the gifted education program the second semester of the school year.
• The nomination packet will be given to the nominating teacher by the gifted resource teacher at the school.
• The packet will need to be completed including: the nomination form, three checklists on motivation and creativity, samples of work, testing history, and report card.

Rationale:

Many kindergarten students are being nominated to be tested at the beginning of school due to the fact they come to school reading. Research suggests that these students are more than likely environmentally enriched and not necessarily gifted, just because they come to school reading. Kindergarten students have a hard time to focus and listen during testing due to their maturity level and short attention spans. Testing kindergarten students in the spring instead of the fall gives them a chance to mature and develop, which will help them to perform better on the standardized tests.

2011-2012 Testing Timeline & Schedule

August-November 2011
Tier 1 and Tier 2 Differentiations with students that need enrichment beyond regular education curriculum.
November 4, 2011
Nomination/Referral Deadline (Tier 3) for students that display a need for service outside of differentiation in regular classroom.
November 18, 2011
Elementary Nomination Committee Meeting at County Office
November 14-18, 2011
Middle and High School Nomination Committee Meeting by appointments coming to the schools
December 1, 2011- February 21, 2012
Testing for 1st -12th grades for Gifted Education Services
February 1, 2012
Kindergarten Nominations Deadline
February 27-29, 2012
Middle and High School Eligibility Review Committee by appointments at the schools with McCall
February 29, 2012
Elementary Eligibility Review Committee Meetings at County Office and Kindergarten Nomination Committee
February 29 to March 31, 2012
Kindergarten Testing and any other testing deemed by Eligibility Review Committee
March 1, 2012
1-12 grades Data and paperwork due, begin service by March 2 to count for FTE
April 30, 2012
All Kindergarten data and paperwork due at county office by 3:30 p.m.

****Exceptions:
New students that have qualified for gifted in another state and move to our system will be automatically assessed no matter what time of the year. They do not have to be put through formal Nomination Committee if the deadline has expired. Call McCall Govignon about these students to meet with you.