Description of Referral Process

The referral process has four basic dimensions:

1. Nomination of student as possible candidate for formal evaluation for gifted identification and services.
2. Review of nomination to determine if referral for formal evaluation is warranted.
3. Identification of students who meet the state criteria for placement and services in gifted education with and without formal evaluation process.
4. Compilation of information about strengths of students who have been formally evaluated for gifted identification.

The first step, nomination of students, initiates the process. Nominations can be made by classroom teachers, special area teachers, parents and/or guardians, administrators, the child himself or herself, peers, or any other responsible person who has knowledge of the student’s intellectual abilities. The Nomination Committee is responsible for steps of two, three and four. Step three- formal evaluation. If this step is warranted, it will be facilitated by the gifted program teacher at each school and/or by the gifted testing coordinator.

Nomination Process

The purpose of the nomination is to submit existing information about the student.  A sample of the student’s work and a Nomination Form are submitted to the gifted program teacher at each school by the person who wishes to nominate a student for evaluation.  In addition to the work sample and nomination form, existing test information, a copy of the most recent report card, and a checklist of observed behaviors Gifted Rating Scale- GRS are required information to gather and submit to the Gifted Program teacher at the school that will bring all information to the Nomination Committee for review.  The checklists must be completed by the nominating person and, if at all possible, two other adults that personally know the child.  Parents and/or guardians are not allowed to complete the checklists to use for eligibility.  When a student nominates him/herself, a Self-Nomination Form should be attached to the Nomination Form.  When a peer nominates a student, the nomination student (peer) must complete a Peer-Nomination Form and attach to the Nomination Form to submit to the Nomination Committee.

Automatic Nominations will have a Nomination Form completed by the students’ homeroom teacher along with observational checklists. The gifted program teacher at the school will notify the student’s classroom teacher to complete this process.  

During the nomination phase of the referral process, the Nomination Committee may consider test data that was gathered and analyzed outside the school system.  However, this data shall not be substituted for data the school generates during the testing/evaluation process.  In other words, if a child has been tested by an outside source (including private psychologists, university clinics, etc…), the Nomination Committee may consider those test results as they determine whether or not to proceed with formal evaluation, but the outside test data may not be used to determine eligibility  for gifted services.

The Nomination Committee

The Nomination Committee will consist of a county-wide panel of three or more gifted teachers which must include the gifted education teacher at the school, the gifted coordinator for the county and/or the gifted testing coordinator for the county, and one other certified gifted teacher.  The committee may invite other participants who have expertise in a content area or a special knowledge about the child to attend the meeting to a review a student’s nomination.

See Nomination Process for specific guidelines.

Formal Evaluation

Once a student has been referred by the Nomination Committee for Formal Evaluation, a gifted program teacher and/or the gifted test coordinator will administer an appropriate mental ability test first and then proceed with an achievement test.  Qualifying test scores on such instruments may be no older than two years. Professional judgment should be used regarding additional testing of students.  When a student’s score is within one Standard Error of Measurement (SEM) on the mental ability test, a second test may be administered.  Factors to be considered include difference between required score and obtained score; possibility of detriment to the student’s self-esteem; and social or developmental factors that indicate the need for additional testing.  When in doubt the gifted program teacher needs to consult with the Eligibility Review Committee and/or Gifted Coordinator.

The gifted program teacher will assemble the various evaluation data and take this information to the Eligibility Review Committee.
The Eligibility Review Committee will meet on February 23, 2011 with Middle and High Schools and February 21-25, 2011 with Elementary Schools.

*See Chart for tests to administer on next page.

Tests to Administer

*These tests meet the standard of validity and reliability expected.  These tests are nondiscriminatory with respect to race, religion, national origin, sex, disabilities, or economic background.

 

Multiple Criteria	Mental Ability	Achievement	Creativity	Motivation
Primary Tests	Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) Form 6 Administered this test first. Norms Expire: 2011 ***Grace Period 2012. Purchase new CogAT’s 2012-2013 school year.	Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) Form M Administer this test second after Cog AT. Norms Expire: 2015	Gifted Rating Scale (GRS) Checklists should be gathered during the nomination phase. Norms Expire: 2013	Gifted Rating Scale (GRS) Norms Expire: 2013 GPA – Grade Point Average for 6th-12th grades averaged over two years. (May use grades for 5th grade in Spring only).
Secondary Tests	Naglieri’s Nonverbal Abilities Test 2 (NNAT2) Administer this test only as a secondary test when students show a strength in quantitative or nonverbal on CogAT. Norms Expire: 2018 Otis-Lennon Ability Test (OLSAT8) Administer this test only as a secondary test when students demonstrate a strength in verbal on CogAT. Norms Expire: 2018	None	Torrance Test of Creative Thinking (TTCT) Form A or B Administer this test only if students are 6 years or older and demonstrate a strength in creativity.  Norms Expire: 2018	None

Eligibility Review Committee

The Eligibility Review Committee is a school-based committee that will assess evaluation results, determine need for secondary tests and recommend services for students who have been through the formal evaluation process.  This committee consists of the gifted program teacher at the school along with two other gifted certified teachers and/or administrators.  The gifted teacher will complete an Eligibility Report Form with all of the evaluation data that was gathered in all four areas that are required by the State of Georgia under the Gifted Nomination Rule 160-4-2-.38 this includes- mental, achievement, creativity, and motivation.

Using the information recorded on the report form, the gifted teacher will make one of the following decisions to share with the Eligibility Review Committee:

1. The student is declared eligible based on mental ability and achievement scores, which meet the criteria established by Rule 160-4-2-.38 (Old Rule or automatic eligibility)
2. The student is declared eligible based on meeting three out of the four multiple criteria categories established by Rule 160-4-2-.38.  Multiple Criteria Rule)
3. The student is declared ineligible based on the criteria established by Rule 160-4-2-.38
4. Additional tests are needed to determine eligibility.

When a student is determined eligible by the established criteria, the gifted program teacher will notify the parent or guardian in writing  of the student’s eligibility.  Consent must be received before gifted services will begin for the student.

When a student is determined ineligible by the established criteria, the committee will notify the parent or guardian in writing .  This determination of ineligibility does not preclude the student’s being referred at a later date for reevaluation.  The only stipulation is that the student may not be assessed with the same instrument more than once in a calendar year.

In addition to assessing the student’s evaluation results, the Eligibility Committee will recommend appropriate services for eligible and ineligible students based on the evaluation data and will be logged on the eligibility report.

Once the referral process has been completed and service options have been recommended for students, on-going progress evaluation will determine continuation of such services with our continuation criteria and the annual review.