How do I know if my child is gifted?

There is no sure-fire way to know when a child is gifted. Most widely-accepted definitions of giftedness focus on "capability of high performance." But capability is not always apparent, nor can it be easily measured, especially in young children.

It is important to stress that performance alone is not an indication of giftedness. A student who is not gifted but highly motivated could easily outperform a child who is gifted but lacking in motivation. A child who comes from an enriched home environment could also show more advanced performance.

Some believe that a child who has an IQ of 130 or higher is gifted. But Giftedness is more than an IQ score. It is actually a combination of personality and intellectual traits that lead to increased sensitivity and aptitude in a number of areas. Contrary to what many people think, the gifted child is not destined to success. Most gifted children have social/emotional/educational needs that are not easily met in the normal school setting.

Because we focus on identifying student needs--rather than students--we do not routinely test for giftedness or IQ in Edina Public Schools. We do, however, accept relevant test data from qualified outside agencies to be reviewed as part of the student's profile. (Parents are responsible for any outside testing.)

I believe that my child is gifted and would like to have him/her identified for service. What do I do?

First of all, be aware that the needs of all Edina students in Grades 2-7 are evaluated each year. Whenever we get the results of standardized testing (either the Cognitive Abilities Test or the NWEA Achievement Level Tests), we review the scores to find students who would benefit from new or additional service. We do not usually look at students before Grade 2, because gifted service formally starts in Grade 3.

If you feel that your child in Grade 3 or higher is gifted and would benefit from service, we might want to initiate an independent evaluation process. This is especially important if your child has recently transferred from another school district. If your child is in Kindergarten, 1st or 2nd grade and you have outside testing that shows your child is gifted, we might want to provide some informal service before Grade 3. In either case, contact the gifted resource teacher in your child's school.

When do you identify students and start service?

A committee of educators reviews a student's profile periodically throughout the school career, starting in Grade 2 and then whenever new information becomes available (or at the request of a teacher or parent). By Grade 2, enough information has been gathered to make a sound decision about the child's educational needs. By the spring of that year, we have the results of the Cognitive Abilities Test, which is probably the truest indicator of a child's ability and the most valuable measurement we use. Formal service begins in Grade 3. At the end of Grade 6, new recommendations are sometimes made for service at the secondary level.

How will I know if and when my child has been identified?

A majority of the students in our program are identified for service after test scores are available in the spring, and parents of those students identified to receive service are notified after the entire identification process is complete. Parents of students identified for Type 2 or Type 3 Service receive a letter from the Coordinator of Gifted Education Services (usually early in the summer) that confirms and explains the service placement. Parents of students whose profiles are the subject of an independent review at some other time during the school year are kept informed by phone and, when appropriate, a Type 3 identification letter is sent.

What kind of information do you use in identifying student needs?

We look at measures of performance, aptitude, and achievement. Over time, we record: