1. Cobb County’s Gifted Eligibility Process

2. Referrals Automatic Reported Reciprocity
System-wide assessment – ITBS, CogAT, Renzullis
Reported
Reciprocity
Only in state
Automatic Referrals:
Currently grades 1, 3, 5, and 7 go through the automatic referral process due to system-wide testing
The CogAT is administered in grades 1, 3, and 7
The ITBS is administered in grades 3, 5, and 7
Remind parents these scores are valid for two years
Reported Referrals:
Can be made by any person with knowledge of a student’s abilities. Reported Referrals are required for any student from out of state who wants to be considered for gifted eligibility in the state of GA.
Reported referrals require the completion of GF 157 by referring individual.
Making a referral does not necessarily mean that a child will be tested further. All existing data is reviewed. If further testing is warranted, permission to test a student will be obtained in writing.
Reciprocity
In state - Any student who meets the Georgia eligibility criteria is considered eligible to receive gifted education service in Cobb County upon verification of records. The student transferring into the district must meet the Cobb’s criteria for continuation of gifted services.

3. State Law
Two Options for Eligibility Option A/Psychometric: A student must meet eligibility requirements in both Mental Abilities and Achievement. Option B/ Multiple Criteria: A student must meet eligibility requirements in three of the four following areas: Mental Abilities, Achievement, Creativity, and Motivation.

4. Determination of Eligibility
Option A/Psychometric: A student must meet eligibility requirements in both areas:
Mental Ability: 96th percentile (3-12) or 99th percentile (K-2) on a standardized test of mental ability - Composite Score only.
Achievement: 90th percentile in total battery, total reading, or total math section of a standardized achievement battery .
May want to refer parents to the Testing Terms sheet and explain:
MA– we use age percentiles
A – we use grade percentiles
Although scores are good for two years, mental abilities scores achieved in the K-2 window can not be used for eligibility in the 3-12 window.

5. Determination of Eligibility
Option B/ Multiple Criteria: A student must meet eligibility requirements in three of the four following areas:
Mental Ability: 96th percentile on a standardized test of mental ability - Verbal or Quanttaive Component or Composite score
Achievement: 90th percentile in total battery, total reading, or total math section of a standardized achievement battery
Creativity: 90th percentile / 90th percent on a creativity assessment
Motivation: 90th percentile / 90th percent on a motivation assessment
Inform parents that two rating scales cannot be used to determine gifted eligibility, AND that scores from system-wide testing are valid for two years.

6. Sample Score Report
We use the age percentile scores on the mental abilities assessment and grade percentile scores on the achievement – this is determined by the state
Briefly review important terms from the testing glossary: difference btw percentile (norms) and percentage: percentile is a score that compares a child to a group (norming process) and percentage is a score based on proportion of correctly answered items on an assessment, grade equivalent

7. Assessments used
Mental abilities- Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT), Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT), Naglieri Nonverbal Abilities Test (NNAT)
Achievement- Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS), Stanford Achievement Test (SAT-10)
Creativity- Renzulli Behavioral Rating Scale for Creativity (1-12), Torrance Test of Creative Thinking (TTCT)
Motivation- Renzulli Behavioral Rating Scale for Motivation (1-12), motivation portfolio (1-3); Children’s Academic Intrinsic Motivation Inventory(CAIMI) (4-5)
The state has a wider menu of assessment options that can be utilized, HOWEVER, it is a menu for local school systems, not parents. We can not feasibly provide every assessment option for each category.

8. Renzulli Rating Scales
Based on behaviors observed in the classroom over a minimum of nine weeks
All teachers receive training on identifying behaviors that exemplify characteristics of creativity and motivation specific to gifted children.
If you are questioned about the SUBJECTIVITY of teachers when completing these rating scales, remind parents of the training teachers receive and about their ability to apply professional judgment in rating a student’s behavioral characteristics. These judgments are based on observed behaviors in the classroom.

9. Example of Creativity
Creativity Characteristic – The student demonstrates the ability to generate a large number of ideas or solutions to problems or questions. Behaviors: good problem solver, thinks of different ways of doing things, trouble settling on one idea, and therefore, may have difficulty beginning tasks.
Important to point out to parents that some behaviors could be viewed negatively, but can still be an indicator of this characteristic. However, one demonstrated characteristic, does not indicate overall giftedness in creativity. There are nine creativity characteristics that are rated on the scale.

10. Example of Motivation
Motivation Characteristic – The student demonstrates tenacity for finding out information on topics of interest.
Behaviors: seeks opportunities to find more information about a topic beyond what is presented in class, is able to contribute additional information on topics discussed in class due to independent research, student may be too focused on one topic.
Important to point out to parents that some behaviors could be viewed negatively, but can still be an indicator of this characteristic. However, one demonstrated characteristic, does not indicate overall giftedness in motivation. There are eleven motivation characteristics that are rated on the scale.

11. Kindergarten
Although we do not formally assess kindergarteners for gifted service, we do serve them through the collaboration model when requested by the regular education teacher.

12. Testing Window 1st and 3rd grades CogAT September 4th-6th
3rd and 5th grades IOWA September 7th-14th
Gifted eligibility evaluation begins once system-wide test scores are received and reviewed by Target teacher.
Every attempt is made to complete gifted eligibility evaluation before the winter break. However, there are circumstances that cause testing to carry over to the new year.

13. Delivery Models for Gifted Service
Elementary
One day a week, resource class
Interdisciplinary curriculum
Middle School
Advanced content classes
Placement based on demonstrated need in content areas
Specific criteria for placement determined by local school
High School
Honors and Advanced Placement classes
A student does not need to be identified gifted to be eligible for advanced content classes in middle and high school.

14. Thank you for your interest in gifted eligibility and service.