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INTRODUCTION

 

Florida legislation has identified gifted learners as a part of the exceptional student education population since 1968.  In Florida, students are eligible for exceptional education programs if they meet the criteria outlined in Florida Board of Education Rule 6A-6.03019, FAC.  These criteria focus on a learner’s need for the gifted education program, entry academic skills, general intellectual functioning, and various behavioral and intellectual characteristics.

 

HOW ARE STUDENTS IDENTIFIED FOR THE GIFTED PROGRAM?

 

Most students are referred by a teacher, but parents and others may also refer.

Referred students are screened at the school by our diagnostician. Once results are received it is determined if a full evaluation is warranted.

 A school psychologist administers an individualized test of intelligence to determine a student’s intellectual ability.  In Florida, a student must score two standard deviations above the mean or higher in order to meet the intellectual criterion for the gifted program.

In conjunction with the psychologist’s testing, a checklist of gifted student behavioral characteristics is completed by one or more teachers familiar with the student.  All information is then reviewed by an eligibility staffing committee at the school to determine if the student has a need for the gifted program and meets eligibility criteria. 

Parents may also choose to contract with a private psychologist for their child's evaluation. The private psychologist must be licensed.  When a private psychologist is used, the child’s school psychologist will review copies of the evaluation.  The staffing committee will then determine eligibility according to the same criteria mentioned above. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Resources in Gifted Education

 

 

  The Association for the Gifted