Identification of students is governed by the Texas State Plan for Gifted and Talented Students. The identification process is conducted in three phases: referral, screening, and placement. 

Students may be referred for the program by parents, teachers, community members, or other students. They may also refer themselves. Referral forms are available on this site, in the office at the elementary level, and in the counselor's office at the secondary level. 

Students who are new to the district should be screened after they are enrolled if they have been in a gifted program at their previous school, come from a private school without test scores, or have been referred by their parents or teachers for the program. Determination of placement should be made within 30 days.

Students are screened for placement by a GT campus committee. Students who are referred for GT program services are screened by collecting both quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data includes aptitude and achievement measures. Qualitative data includes critical and creative thinking exercises, parent feedback surveys, and teacher perception surveys. In addition, at the secondary level student grades are considered as well as a student perception survey. The campus committee determines if additional testing is needed or if there is sufficient evidence to make a recommendation for placement. 

At the elementary level GT Specialists conduct the testing and assessment, but the GT campus committee is responsible for placement recommendations.

At the secondary level counselors or a principal designee conducts the testing, but the campus committee is responsible for placement recommendations.

This procedure is in compliance with the Texas State Plan for Gifted and Talented Students. Identification and Assessment is a campus responsibility with appeals addressed first on the campus with the campus based committee and then referred to the district level.

Students are recommended for GT Program Services by a GT campus committee comprised of at least three educators from the following list: teachers, counselors, the campus GT specialist and an administrator. Each member of the committee has received a minimum of 6 hours of gifted training in the areas of "Nature and Needs of Gifted Students" and "Identification and Assessment of Gifted Students." Texas State Plan: 1.7C Final determination of students' needs for gifted/talented services is made by a committee of at least three (3) campus educators who have received training in the "Nature and Needs of Gifted Students" who have met and reviewed the individual student data. (19 TAC § 89.1 (4).

The committee reviews data and makes recommendations based on the following:

Inter-district Transfer Students
Students who have been previously enrolled in a gifted program and have moved into GCISD will adhere to the identification process and entrance criteria of the GCISD program. Parents should notify the school requesting placement screening and/or testing when the student is enrolled. Identification procedures for transfer students are conducted during the first three weeks of enrollment, and the campus committee decision is sent to the parents within 30 days. 

Decisions are made based on transferred records, observation reports of district teachers who instruct the student and student/parent conferences. If ability tests and/or achievement tests are not available, parent permission is obtained to administer them. SPECIAL PROGRAMS, GIFTED AND TALENTED EHBB (LOCAL)

Intra-district Transfer Students
A student who transfers from one campus in the District to the same grade level at another District campus shall continue to receive services in the District's gifted and talented program. EHBB (LOCAL)

Exit Procedures
Recommendation to consider discontinuing Gifted Program Services may be made by teachers, counselors, parents, or the student. Any such request must be supported by evidence related to the educational appropriateness of GT placement. Requests for a student exit from the program will be reviewed by the campus committee. Once a student has exited from the program during the school year, the he or she may not automatically re-enter. The student must be re-identified.

Furlough Procedures
Students who are experiencing temporary undue hardships or indication of stress may receive a temporary administrative furlough. The furlough is supported by documented evidence based on the student's need. A furloughed student is not re-identified for entrance back into the program.

Appeal Procedures

• Parents will submit a letter of appeal to the campus principal requesting a review of the campus GT Placement Committee decision no later than 15 days after notification is provided to parents. Parents must state the reason for the appeal and attach supporting evidence, if desired.

• The placement committee will have 15 days after the receipt of the letter of appeal to make a recommendation to the parents.

• The placement committee will review student data and recommendations of the original committee meeting. The committee will consider any data provided via the appeal process and gather any other pertinent data.

• Based on any new information, the committee may: A) uphold the decision of the first committee; B) recommend further testing to be administered by the GT specialist or counselor; C) or reverse the original placement decision.  Parents will be notified in writing of the results of the appeal. 

• If additional testing is recommended, appropriate tests will be administered and the additional data will be submitted for consideration. That committee will review the new data and make a recommendation to grant or deny program services.

• If the parents wish to appeal the second decision, they should send an email or write a letter to the Director of Advanced Academics requesting a reevaluation of the site-based placement decision.

• The data will be reviewed and evaluated by the District GT Placement Committee and parents will be notified of that committee's decision.

• Students are eligible to test once per year during a designated testing window.