Articles for Educators

Determining Appropriate Identification Criteria:

A Self Study

Yes, No, or Maybe?

1. Do your identification instruments and strategies include multiple criteria that measure students’ abilities in each area of giftedness relevant to the district’s definition and services? In other words, are you eliciting the characteristics you intend to serve?
2. Does the identification process produce information that is useful in instruction and promotes the needs of all students?
3. Does the identification process occur early enough to maximize for students the benefits that may be obtained from special programs?
4. Does the identification process delineate and provide reoccurring opportunities to screen students not yet identified?
5. Are the identification instruments and strategies appropriate for the specific needs and characteristics of the age levels, economic levels, diverse cultures, and special populations represented within your district?
6. Are the standardized tests reliable and valid for your multi-ethnic population and for students likely to perform at levels far beyond those expected for their age group?
7. Are all identification instruments and materials available in each of the languages represented by the diverse ethnic groups in the district?
8. Does the identification system consider qualitative information from a variety of people most familiar with the students’ needs, abilities, and behaviors?
9. Does your identification system endeavor to balance any limitations of one criterion with the strengths of another criterion?
10. Recognizing the limitation of a single score on any measure, can a student qualify for the program despite a low score on one criterion if performance is appropriately strong on other criteria?
11. Can the identification process realistically be accomplished with the time, staff, and funds available? What training or changes are needed?
12. Is the identification process and time line clearly explained in a written form and readily available to all?
13. Are all members of the identification committee trained in the nature and needs of gifted students?
14. Is everyone on the identification committee prepared to recognize the limitation of matrices, review accumulated data, and interpret specific needs before final decisions are reached so that placements are based on students’ needs rather than numbers who can be served?