Gifted & Talented Identification Criteria

Gifted and talented students are those who are identified in grades 1 - 12 as demonstrating high performance ability or potential in academic areas and therefore require an educational program beyond that normally provided by the general school program in order to achieve their potential (Regulation 43-220, Gifted and Talented). The South Carolina Department of Education only funds programs for students served in grades 3 - 12 at the present time.

Students in grades 3 - 12 become eligible for services if they demonstrate high aptitude at or above the 96th national age percentile on a composite score on an individual or group aptitude test. Students may be identified as eligible in grades 1 and 2 who score at the 98th national age percentile on a composite score; however, services are not provided until the 3rd grade. Students who do not meet the 96th percentile on the aptitude test composite score may qualify if they meet the criteria for two of the three dimensions listed below:

• Dimension A Criterion: Reasoning Ability: Score at or above the 93rd national age percentile on the Verbal, Non-Verbal, Quantitative, or Composite score on an aptitude test.
• Dimension B Criterion: High Achievement in Reading and/or Mathematics: Score at or above the 94th national percentile in Reading or Math on a nationally normed assessment instrument OR score “Advanced” on Palmetto Achievement Challenge Test (PACT) in the Reading Portion of the English/Language Arts subtest or in Math.
• Dimension C Criterion: Intellectual/Academic Performance: Maintain 3.75 Grade-Point Average in the academic disciplines in grades 7-12. Obtain a qualifying score on the STAR Performance Tasks test in grades 2-5.

In order to be eligible

Students must score at or above the 96th percentile on the composite of a nationally normed test of academic aptitude (Dimension A) or qualify in at least 2 of the following 3 Dimensions.

• Dimension A Reasoning Abilities
  • Criterion: (3rd - 12th grades) 93rd percentile or better on Verbal/ Linguistic or Nonverbal/Quantitative/ Mathematical, and/ or a composite of the three section(s) of a nationally normed test of academic aptitude
• Dimension B High Achievement in Reading or Math
  • Criterion: 94th percentile or better on Reading Comprehension or Total Math section of a nationally normed test (such as MAP) of academic achievement or Advanced status in one these areas on the PACT
• Dimension C Intellectual/ Academic Performance
  • Criterion for 2nd —5th Grades: Qualification on SC Performance Tasks (Project STAR)
    • Taken once in Primary (2nd and 3rd grades)
    • Taken once in Intermediate (4th and 5th grades)
  • Criterion for 6th Grade & Above: Grade Point Average of 3.75 of a possible 4.0 on core subjects yearly average

The GT Program annually oversees the administration of the necessary tests at each of the District's schools. Completion of a nomination form by the student, a parent, a teacher or a peer is required in order to be identified for testing with the exception of the 2nd grade census testing. Parent Handbooks are given out at the beginning of the school year with the GT Program information, screening and testing information. Parents are informed of the student's performance directly from the GT Program's identification staff. Charleston County School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, or handicap in admission to, treatment in, or employment in its programs and activities.