Gifted Information Page

At Navigating Education, we provide evaluation, family coaching, and recommendations for gifted identification. We will work with you AND your school to ensure your child has the services they need for their learning profile. Please see below to walk you through gifted identification processes here in the state of Colorado.

Identification and Evaluation

There are various avenues to pursue when a child is being evaluated for gifted indemnification. According to the state of Colorado (CDE, 2016) a referral for evaluation can come from a parent, teacher, cognitive screener, or an alternate source. A Body of Evidence is then collected, including, but not limited to: cognitive, academic, observational, and portfolio. Parents are an integral part of this process. Let’s break down the identification into its parts.

Cognitive

Cognitive assessments are going to measure HOW students create their learning, make sense of the world, and how they organize their learning. This can be assessed in many ways. Some examples include:

• CogAT – Cognitive Abilities Test (a screener used in school districts)
• NNAT – Naglieri Nonverbal Assessment (can be group administered)
• WISC-V – Weschler Intelligence Scale for Children (one-on-one testing, by a doctor of education or a psychologist)
• Other One-on-One cognitive testing. Depending on the district you’re in and what your child’s needs are, will determine what cognitive test might be right for your child.

On these tests, traditionally we are looking for 95th percentile and above for Giftedness. That is a general guideline, as there can be exceptions in the case of twice-exceptionality.

Academic

As with cognitive assessments, there are a variety of academic tests that can be administered, including, but not limited to:

• ITBS – Iowa Test of Basic Skills (Can be group administered)
• WIAT-III Weschler Individual Achievement Test (One-to-One testing)
• End-of-Year Testing (PARC, CMAS)
• ACT Aspire
• Other

When looking at the data, we are looking for 95th percentile or above on any of the main domains or composite categories.

Observational

To build a complete Body of Evidence, observational tools are used to gather both quantitative and qualitative data about your child’s learning. Some of these tools may include:

• SIGS – Scales for Identifying Gifted Students (Home and School forms)
• OIP-II – Overexcitabilities Inventory for Parents (survey for parents to complete)
• KOI – Kingore Observational Inventory (gathers qualitative data about gifted characteristics)
• Other observational tools.

Again, for the quantitative data we are looking for 95th percentile or above. For the qualitiative data, we are looking for qualities that stand out and set this student apart from their peers. This helps when deciding appropriate programming options for a student.

Once all of this data is gathered, it is analyzed by Dr. Durtschi and recommendations are given to families. In order for a child to meet qualifications in the state of Colorado, they must meet the following:

Pathway #1

• One Cognitive domain above 95th percentile
• One Academic domain above 95th percentile
• One Observational domain (same as academic) above 95th percentile

Pathway #2

• Two Academic domains (two tests for the same subject area) above the 95th percentile
• One Observational domain (same as academic) above 95th percentile

Pathway #3 (this pathway is the exception)

• 95th percentile on a “Gold-Standard” Cognitive Test
• Body of evidence that supports identification (perhaps significant asynchrony of development)

For more information on these pathways and what the qualifications are through the Colorado Department of Education, please visit: https://www.cde.state.co.us/gt/identification