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Educational Programs

Immeasurable potential

The School District of Lancaster appreciates the diverse talents of students and their families and recognizes the responsibility to foster the immeasurable potential of gifted and talented students. We also acknowledge the varied facets of giftedness. That’s why we use multiple criteria in the identification process of gifted and talented students.

SDoL provides gifted support services for any student who has been identified as having gifted ability through an extensive educational evaluation and eligibility criteria set forth by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Identified children will receive a Gifted Individualized Education Plan (GIEP) that outlines specially designed instruction to meet the advanced learning needs of the student.

Gifted Services in SDoL

GIEPs are strength-based plans. The goal is to continue to build and grow a student in their strength area(s). But a GIEP does not necessarily mean a student has strengths in all content areas. GIEP goals are written to be implemented in the general education classroom.

What to look for

Below are some common characteristics of gifted individuals.

  • Unusual alertness, even in infancy
  • Rapid learner; puts thoughts together quickly
  • Excellent memory
  • Unusually large vocabulary and complex sentence structure for age
  • Advanced comprehension of word nuances, metaphors and abstract ideas
  • Enjoys solving problems, especially with numbers and puzzles
  • Often self-taught reading and writing skills as preschooler
  • Deep, intense feelings and reactions
  • Highly sensitive
  • Thinking is complex, logical, and insightfuf
  • Idealism and sense of justice at early age
  • Concern with social and political issues and injustices
  • Longer attention span and intense concentration
  • Preoccupied with own thoughts; daydreamer
  • Learn basic skills quickly and with little practice

Locating Gifted Students

Universal Screener

A universal screening is a systematic assessment of all students within a grade level to identify exceptional ability or potential, making sure underrepresented populations are equitably assessed. Universal screenings measure a student’s abilities and potential instead of traditional achievement tests. The School District of Lancaster uses the Cognitive Abilities Tests (CogAT) as its universal screener.

Second Grade CogAT

the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) is administered to all district second graders to identify students who need to be evaluated for possible giftedness or monitored for future evaluations. The district notifies parents before the CogAT screening. Parents/Guardians who wish to opt their child out of the screening should contact the Director of Special Education and Gifted Services.

Fourth Grade CogAT

Students develop their cognitive abilities at different rates. Some students are not ready for cognitive screening until later in elementary school. Fourth-grade students who show advanced levels of achievement on multiple assessments are also administered the CogAT. The district notifies parents before the CogAT screening. Parents/Guardians who wish to opt their child out of the screening should contact the Director of Special Education and Gifted Services.

Next steps in the screening process

A student who meets the district’s CogAT criteria is moved forward in the screening process. The district gathers more data on the student by administering the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test (KBit- 2 Revised) and collecting teacher input. Students who meet the district’s criteria are recommended for a comprehensive evaluation by the certified school psychologist for potential gifted ability. The district can not proceed to an evaluation without parent/guardian permission.

School personnel requests

Multi-tiered system of supports teams review referrals submitted by school personnel to determine the need for evaluations. The teams also review supporting data sources to determine if a gifted screener should be administered. Referrals can be made at the elementary, middle, or high school level.

Parent/Guardian Requests

Parent/Guardian requests for evaluations for gifted potential are reviewed and processed through the Exceptional Student Specialist or Building Principal at the elementary, middle, or high school level.

Gifted Evaluation Process and Timeline

The School District of Lancaster provides a continuum of gifted services for any student with gifted ability through an extensive educational evaluation and eligibility criteria set forth by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (Chapter 16). Identified children will receive a Gifted Individualized Education Plan (GIEP) that outlines specially designed instruction to meet the advanced learning needs of the student.

Determining Eligibility

Gifted Evaluation Process

The School District of Lancaster uses multiple data points to determine gifted eligibility such as cognitive testing, achievement testing, the CogAT, the KBit-2 Revised, curriculum-based assessments, PSSA, Keystones, Star Reading and Math Assessments, as well as teacher and parent/guardian input.

Step 1

Gifted Screening

The district uses the KBit-2 Revised or CogAT screeners to predict how a student will score when given a full gifted evaluation.

Step 2

Permission to Evaluate

The district contacts parents/guardians of students before they undergo cognitive and achievement testing by a school psychologist. They are presented with a Permission to Evaluate (PTE) form.

Step 3

Evaluation

The certified school psychologist determines the student’s intellectual ability (IQ) with cognitive testing. The term “mentally gifted” includes a person who has an IQ of 130 or higher and other factors (listed below) that indicate gifted ability. Gifted ability cannot be based on IQ score alone. If the IQ score is lower than 130 the student may qualify for gifted support services when other conditions strongly indicate gifted ability and the student’s need for specially designed instruction. The factors that may be considered include:

  • Achievement test scores that are a year or more above level
  • Observed or measure acquistion/retention rates that reflect gifted ability
  • Demonstrate higher-level thinking skills
  • Documented evidence that intervening factors are masking gifted ability

Step 4

60-Day Timeline

The signed Permission to Evaluate (PTE) triggers the 60-day timeline for the school psychologist to complete the evaluation and provide the parent/guardians with the evaluation report at the GMDE (Gifted Multidisciplinary Evaluation) meeting. The evaluation report outlines if a student is eligible or not eligible for gifted services. A student cannot receive gifted services until the parent/guardian has signed the Notice of Recommended Assignment (NORA).

Step 5

Gifted Individualized Education Plan

When a student is found to be eligible for gifted services and specially designed instruction, a Gifted Individualized Education Plan (GIEP) is developed by the gifted facilitator, parents/guardians, general education teacher and the Exceptional Student Specialist within 30 calendar days of presenting the evaluation report. GIEPs are strength-based documents that are updated and renewed on an annual basis until a student graduates from high school.

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