Intellectually Gifted Child Find

We're Looking for High Intellectual Potential Students

Do you know a student who:

• Is a creative thinker
• Can easily transfer knowledge to new situations
• Shows unusual empathy for people and concern for social issues

Research shows that 3-5% of our population possesses many of these exceptional traits. These children should be nurtured and their education enhanced, for their own benefit, and for the advancement of mankind.

Our world needs these special gifts!
Can you help us find these children?

Intellectual giftedness is found throughout diverse populations and crosses all economic and cultural boundaries. Early identification and intervention are often required to meet the unique needs of these children.

Definition and Criteria for Eligibility for Gifted as Defined by The Tennessee State Department of Education

Definition: A student whose intellectual abilities and potential for achievement are so outstanding that special provisions are required to meet his/her educational needs is considered gifted.

Criteria for Eligibility

Eligibility for services as a gifted student is based on evaluation in each of the following component areas:

• Academic Achievement
• Creative Thinking
• Academic Performance
• Cognition or Intelligence

Characteristics of Giftedness

Although no two gifted students are exactly alike, there are some characteristics which gifted children share (in various combinations). Listed below are a few characteristics gifted students may exhibit:

Achievement

• Large storehouse of information on school or non-school topics
• History of outstanding achievement as evidenced by grades, standardized test scores, etc.
• Evidence of desire to learn
• Creative Thinking
• Effective (often innovative) strategies for recognizing and solving problems
• Unusually keen sense of humor (gentle or hostile)
• Frustration with traditional thinking
• Intense (sometimes unusual) interests
• Academic Performance
• Questions, experiments, explores, challenges others
• Unusual emotional depth, leadership, and ability to deal with diversity
• Cognition/Intelligence
• Highly expressive and effective use of words, numbers, sumbols, etc.
• Logical approaches to figuring out solutions. Impatient with repetition.

The Referral Process

Anyone, including the parent(s), guardian, or community professional may refer a student for screening and possible evaluation. A screening team of educational professionals considers screening information, previous evaluations, and teacher/parent input to determine if a comprehensive evaluation is needed. The team's decision is based on multiple data sources. An assessment team will determine the types of assessment needed. All procedural safeguards are followed to ensure evaluation procedures are non-discriminatory.

Services for Gifted Students

Special services are often required to meet the unique needs of gifted children. A team of professionals and the child's parent(s) plan the student's educational program based on the assessment information obtained through the evaluation process.

For more information contact:

984-1212

Ask for the Department of Special Education

*The State of Tennessee and Local Education Agencies do not discriminate in evaluation or programming on the basis of race, disability, color, religion, gender, age or national origin.