The purpose of careful and comprehensive identification procedures is to find and serve as many students as possible who need special programs to develop their exceptional abilities.  It is important to identify students with potential for outstanding achievement.  The emphasis in identification is student need for qualitatively differentiated educational services beyond what is provided through the classroom curriculum.
  (as stated in 7.0 IDENTIFICATION of the Arkansas State Gifted and Talented         Program Approval Standards)


The process for identifying students has several stages.

1. Nominations are sought from a wide variety of sources to ensure that all potentially gifted and talented students have an opportunity to be considered. 2. Data are collected (on the nominated students) to aid in making decisions for selection of students who are in need of special education services.
3. Placement of students is made in an appropriate program option.


Identification procedures are clearly stated, uniformly implemented, and communicated to the entire school staff.

A committee of at least five members chaired by the ESD GT Coordinator and including administrators, teachers, and/or counselors collects and analyzes data, maintains appropriate records, and makes professional decisions on placement of students.  The is a "blind" process meaning names are not disclosed when reviewing data.  Numbers are assigned to each profile folder for identification were data is stored for review of needs.  This committee is district level with representatives of each campus involved.

The identification process yields information obtained through a variety of procedures and from multiple independent sources.

1. Procedures for obtaining information about students include at least two objective assessment methods such as group and individual tests of ability, achievement, and creativity. ADE 080-8 Agency # 005.15
2. Procedures for obtaining information about students include at least two subjective assessment methods such as checklists, rating scales, biographical data, product evaluations, and grades.
3. Information about students is obtained from multiple sources which may include teachers, counselors, parents, community members, peers, and students themselves.

Student placement decisions are based on multiple criteria.
No single criterion or cut-off score is used to include or exclude a student.

Procedures used in the identification process are non-discriminatory with respect to race, cultural or economic background, religion, national origin, sex, or handicapping condition.

Instructionally useful information about individual students obtained during the identification process is communicated to the appropriate members of the instructional staff regardless of final placement.

Written identification and placement procedures include parental involvement.

1. Parents grant permission for individual testing.
2. Parents are informed of the criteria for placement in a program for the gifted. 3. Parents give written permission for child’s participation in gifted program if identified for services.
4. Parents may appeal a placement with which they disagree.


Identification of gifted and talented students is an ongoing process extending from school entry through grade twelve.

1. Opportunities are provided for students to be considered for placement in gifted & talented programs throughout their school experience, beginning with whole grade testing in the Spring Semester of their First Grade year. 
2. A review of students’ placement in the gifted & talented program is made at least annually.
3. ESD GT has written policies for exit from the GT program.
4. Records of placement decisions and data on all nominated students are kept on file for a minimum of five years or for as long as needed for educational decisions. ADE 080-9 Agency # 005.15  20-2