Referral for Consideration for Gifted Services
The purpose of the referral procedures is to identify a pool of potentially gifted students. Students may be considered for eligibility by a written referral or by annual review of test data by gifted education teachers.
Reported Referral: A student may be referred for consideration for gifted educational services by teachers, counselors, administrators, parents, peers, self, and or other individuals with knowledge of the student’s abilities. Referral forms may be obtained from the local school. A parent referral form is available by clicking here.
Automatic Referral: A student who scores at or above the 96th percentile on a standardized, norm-referenced mental ability test, such as the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) and/or at or above the 90th percentile on a standardized norm-referenced achievement test, such as the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS), in reading comprehension, math computation, or total battery will be automatically referred for consideration by the MILE teachers or counselors.
Determination for Formal Evaluation
Once a student has been referred, the school’s Mile Eligibility Team (MET), consisting of a minimum of one gifted education teacher, one administrator, and one regular classroom teacher/counselor, will review the referrals for evidence of behaviors synonymous with gifted characteristics. The MET will make one of three determinations: not recommended for formal evaluation; recommended for formal evaluation, or “watch and wait” to see if testing at a later date is warranted.. The MET will notify parents or guardians in writing of the student’s referral and will obtain their written consent for formal evaluation.
Formal Evaluation
- Written consent from the parents or guardians must be obtained before testing.
- Data must be collected in four areas: mental ability, achievement, creativity, and motivation.
- Assessment data from sources outside the school system may be considered as part of the evaluation process, but not substituted for data the school system generates in determining eligibility.
- Assessment data must be no more than two years old at the time the eligibility decision is made.
- Parents and or guardians must be notified in writing of the eligibility or ineligibility status of each tested student and given the opportunity for a conference with the gifted education teacher.
- Parents and or guardians must give written consent before placement of eligible students in gifted classes.
- When testing does not warrant placement, students are not eligible for re-testing for a minimum of two calendar years.
