What is Gifted and Talented?
In the Exceptional Children's Education Act, state of Colorado defines "gifted" as the following:
12.01 (9) "Gifted & Talented Children" means those persons 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 and talented children are hereafter referred to as gifted students. Children under five who are gifted may also be provided with early childhood special educational services. Gifted students include gifted students with disabilities (i.e. twice exceptional) and students with exceptional abilities or potential from all socio-economic and ethnic, 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 of giftedness:
How do we identify gifted students in LPS?
Littleton Public Schools (LPS) follows a process of identifying students for whom gifted & talented services are appropriate by collecting a variety of information from multiple sources, comprised of both test and non-test measure. In order to be formally identified as gifted & talented in LPS a student's body of evidence must include data that meets the eligibility criteria for three (3) out of the six (6) areas identified in the hexagon below. One (1) of the three (3) pieces must be a score at or above the 95th percentile on a nationally normed standardized test in one of the six areas. The only exception to this is for those students applying for Early Access to Kindergarten or First Grade. That criteria is mandated by state statute.
Please note that every school district/system/state has unique criteria for placement in gifted & talented. Students who were in another gifted program outside of LPS will automatically be reviewed for eligibility. Parents will be informed as to the results of this review.
