Gifted & Talented

Megan Lammers
Gifted & Talented Coordinator

Gifted and talented students are those students between the ages of four and twenty-one whose abilities, talents, and potential for accomplishment are so exceptional or developmentally advanced that they require special provisions to meet their educational programming needs

Gifted students include students with disabilities (i.e., twice exceptional) and students with exceptional abilities or potential from all socio-economic, ethnic, and cultural populations. Gifted students are capable of high performance, exceptional production, or exceptional learning behavior by virtue of any or a combination of these areas:

General or Specific Intellectual Ability
Specific Academic Aptitude
Creative or Productive Thinking
Leadership Abilities
Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Musical or Psychomotor Abilities

ALP’s and Programming

Once a student is identified, an Advanced Learning Plan (ALP) will be created. Teachers, students, and parents will collaborate with the GT facilitator to develop a written plan to meet the student’s identified needs. The ALP will formalize the differentiation that the classroom teachers provide for the student in their identified area(s) as well as affective (social/emotional) needs within the classroom.

The classroom teachers and the GT facilitator will work with students on their goals through a variety of options during the school day. Some strategies we may use to meet the needs of our students are flexible grouping in reading, writing, and math, differentiated instruction, curriculum compacting, content acceleration, tiered assignments, and independent study.

Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT)- Universal Screening

DCSD is committed to implementing equitable practices to increase access to advanced/gifted learning opportunities. Based on state and national recommendations and requirements, we implement Universal Screening for students in 2nd grade (February) and 5th or 6th grade--a student's final year of elementary school (November).

5th Grade Universal Screen

As part of this process, ALL students in 5th grade who are not identified for gifted programming will take the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) on the week of November 4th. This assessment indicates the level and pattern of cognitive development of a student in comparison to grade and age mates. These general reasoning abilities, which start developing at birth and continue through early adulthood, are influenced by experiences gained both in and out of school.

If your child has already been identified for gifted programming, they will not participate in this universal screen testing. Your Gifted Education Facilitator will contact you directly with information about this process.

Gifted Identification Referral Testing

If your child is in grades 3 or 4 and you believe they need evaluation for Gifted Identification and Services, you may refer your child for testing by initiating the Gifted Identification Process.
NOTE: Requesting this assessment automatically initiates the process to evaluate for Gifted Identification.
Please request CogAT testing for your child by completing the Referral for Gifted Identification linked HERE.
Upon receipt of this form the Gifted Education Facilitator will connect with you to discuss next steps in the gifted identification process.

2nd Grade Universal Screen

As part of this process, ALL students in 2nd grade not identified for gifted programming will take the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) the week of February 12th. This assessment indicates the level and pattern of cognitive development of a student in comparison to grade and age mates. These general reasoning abilities, which start developing at birth and continue through early adulthood, are influenced by experiences gained both in and out of school.

If your child is already identified for gifted programming, they will not participate in this universal screen testing. Your Gifted Education Facilitator will contact you directly with information about this process.

Kindergarten/ 1st Grade Gifted Identification Referral Testing

If your child is in K or 1st grade and you believe he/she needs evaluation for Gifted Identification and Services, you may refer your child for testing by initiating the Gifted Identification Process.

NOTE: Requesting this assessment automatically initiates the evaluation process for Gifted Identification.

Please request CogAT testing for your child by completing the Referral for Gifted Identification linked HERE (Spanish Version)
Upon receipt of this form, the Gifted Education Facilitator will connect with you to discuss the next steps in the gifted identification process.

CogAT Excusal Form