Gifted & Talented HomeGT CriteriaCTC CriteriaElementary GT Curriculum Gifted and Talented Mission The mission of gifted education is to maximize the potential of gifted and talented learners by providing programs and services which match their unique characteristics and needs. We believe... The gifted have a right to an appropriate education grounded in the recognition of individual differences and unique learning needs. The gifted need a curriculum responsive to their individual learning rate, style, and complexity. The gifted learn best in an instructional environment that encourages and nurtures inquiry, flexibility, and critical and creative thinking. General Information In November of each year, the State Department of Education provides testing for students in grade two to determine their eligibility for Gifted and Talented Programs. The Iowa, an achievement test, and The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT), and aptitude test, are administered to all public school students enrolled in grade two. These results are available by mid-January, and parents are notified of their child’s performance on these tests. Beginning in grade three, students who meet the state criteria may be placed in the academically gifted and talented program. This program is called "Challenge" in Greenville County. At the elementary level, Challenge is a pull-out program. In third grade, students attend Challenge for at least 125 minutes each week. Students in grades four and five attend Challenge for at least 200 minutes per week. Each school receives a Challenge teacher based upon the number of qualified students in that school. Students are taught in classes with a teacher-pupil ratio of 1 to 20 or less. At the middle school level, the Challenge program serves students through Language Arts instruction. Challenge Language Arts is a daily scheduled class with a teacher-pupil ration of 1 to 25 or less. Core content area Honors courses serve identified gifted and talented high school students. These classes meet daily with a teacher-pupil ration of 1 to 25 or less. This site uses cookies from Google to deliver its services and to analyze traffic. Information about your use of this site is shared with Google. By using this site, you agree to its use of cookies. LEARN MOREGOT IT