Mississippi Administrative Code › Title 7 - Education K-12 › Part 10 - Regulations for the Gifted Education Programs in Mississippi › IDENTIFICATION OF ACADEMICALLY GIFTED STUDENTS

Current through June 25, 2024
NOTE: Throughout the identification process, district personnel
				shall be careful to select measures that target the student's strengths.
Referral
Students who are rising ninth graders through rising twelfth
				graders may be referred by a teacher, parent, peer, self, or any other person
				having reason to believe that the student might be academically gifted. The
				person initiating the referral shall sign the referral form and date it.
				District personnel shall collect the data required to satisfy the district's
				referral criteria. Only the LSC can stop the identification process once a
				referral has been signed and dated.
Referral Criteria
A student shall satisfy at least two of the following criteria
				before moving to the assessment process:
1. Grade history of A's and B's in the pertinent academic
				area,
2. Portfolio of the student's work indicating outstanding
				capabilities in the pertinent academic area (evaluated using a rubric),
3. Group or individual intelligence test administered within
				the last twelve months,
4. Group or individual achievement test score(s) in the
				pertinent academic area (individual achievement test must have been
				administered within the last twelve months), or
5. Other demonstrated achievement and/or potential abilities
				(with prior approval of the MDE).
Each district shall establish the local minimal acceptable
				criteria on each measure used at this stage. Documentation of the measures and
				minimal acceptable criteria for each shall be maintained in a written document
				and approved by the local school board. This document shall be distributed to
				district administrators, school counselors, and teachers, and shall be
				available to parents at each school site.
LSC Review
Once the referral data has been collected, the LSC shall review
				all data and make one of the following recommendations:
1. The student has satisfied minimal criteria on at least two
				of the measures stage, and should move forward to the assessment
2. The student has not satisfied minimal criteria on at least
				two measures; however, the LSC feels strongly that additional data should be
				collected and the student reconsidered at that time, or
3. The student has not satisfied minimal criteria on at least
				two measures, and the identification process should stop.
Parental Permission for Testing
At this time, if parental permission for testing has not been
				obtained, district personnel shall obtain written parental permission for
				testing.
Assessment
Once the LSC has determined that the student should move
				forward to the assessment phase, district personnel shall review all data
				available before deciding which measures are most appropriate to be used during
				assessment. After reviewing the information available, district personnel shall
				collect measures from at least two of the categories of assessment measures. A
				student shall satisfy minimal state criteria on at least two of the
				measures.
Assessment Criteria
1. A score at or above the 90th
				percentile on the total score in the pertinent academic area on a
				norm-referenced achievement test,
2. A score at or above the 90th
				percentile in the pertinent academic area on a norm-referenced individual
				achievement test, or
3. A portfolio of the student's work demonstrating outstanding
				achievement in the pertinent academic area over a period of at least six
				months. The portfolio shall be evaluated using a rubric approved by the
				MDE.
Assessment Report
District personnel shall write an assessment report, which must
				contain the following components:
1. Student's name,
2. Name of each measure used and date administered or
				completed,
3. Results of each measure,
4. Test behaviors for any individually administered test(s), 5
				. Name and credentials of individual who administered any individual
				test(s),
6. Interpretation of any individually administered
				test(s),
7. Name of person responsible for writing the Assessment
				Report, his/her signature and date, and
8. The date of the Assessment Report.
Eligibility Ruling
Once the Assessment Report is finished, the LSC shall meet to
				review all data and determine if eligibility criteria has or has not been
				satisfied. The LSC shall rule that the student is or is not eligible for the
				academically gifted program.
NOTE:
Once a student has been ruled eligible for
				the academically gifted program, additional eligibilities are not required to
				provide services in academic areas other than the area that was considered for
				the original eligibility ruling. However, careful consideration shall be given
				as to the probability of the student being successful in additional
				area(s).
A student with an intellectually gifted eligibility ruling does
				not need to have an academically gifted ruling to be served in an academically
				gifted program. Since not all intellectually gifted students are also
				academically gifted, available data shall be reviewed to determine the
				probability that the student will be successful in the academic
				placement.
Parental Notification
District personnel shall notify in writing the parents of each
				student tested for the academically gifted program about the assessment
				results. District personnel shall offer to explain any of the results that
				parents have questions about. District shall also notify parents in writing
				about their rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
				(FERPA).
IDENTIFICATION OF ARTISTICALLY GIFTED STUDENTS
				Referral
A student may be referred by a teacher, administrator,
				counselor, parent, peer, self, or any other person having reason to believe
				that the student may be artistically gifted. The person initiating the referral
				shall sign the referral form and date it. District personnel shall collect the
				data required to satisfy the district's referral criteria. Only the LSC can
				stop the identification process once a referral has been signed and
				dated.
Referral Criteria
1. A statement from an individual with documented expertise in
				the visual arts that the student is in the top 10% of age peers in ability in
				the visual arts and has an exceptionally high degree of creativity, and one of
				the following:
2. Published checklist of creativity or norm-referenced test of
				creativity,
3. Published checklist of characteristics for the visual arts
				or a published test of ability in the visual arts,
4. Demonstrated individual accomplishment in the visual arts
				such as recognition at the state level or above,
5. Portfolio of the student's work evaluated using a rubric,
				or
6. Other indicators of an exceptionally high degree of ability
				in the visual arts (with prior approval of the MDE).
Each district shall establish the local minimal acceptable
				criteria on each measure used at this stage. Documentation of the measures and
				minimal acceptable criteria for each shall be maintained in a written document
				and approved by the local school board. This document shall be distributed to
				district administrators, school counselors, and teachers, and shall be
				available to parents at each school site.
LSC Review
Once the referral data has been collected, the LSC shall review
				all data and make one of the following recommendations:
1. The student has satisfied minimal criteria and should move
				forward to the assessment stage,
2. The student has not satisfied the minimalcriteria. However,
				the LSC feels strongly that additional data should be collected and the student
				reconsidered at that time, or
3. The student has not satisfied minimal criteria, and the
				identification process should stop.
Parental Permission for Testing
At this time, if parental permission for testing has not been
				obtained, district personnel shall obtain written parental permission for
				testing.
Assessment
Once the LSC has determined that the student should move
				forward to the assessment phase, district personnel shall review all available
				data before deciding which measures are most appropriate to be used during
				assessment. District personnel shall collect measures from at least two of the
				categories of assessment measures. At least one of the measures shall be a
				measure of creativity. A student shall satisfy minimal acceptable criteria on
				the measures used.
Assessment Criteria
1. Published checklist of creativity with a score in at least
				the superior range, or a published test of creativity with a score in at least
				the superior range,
2. Published checklist of characteristics for the visual arts
				with a score in at least the superior range, or a published test of ability in
				the visual arts with a score in at least the superior range, or
3. Portfolio of the student's work (all components of the
				portfolio shall be the individual efforts of the student and completed during
				the past twelve months) evaluated using a rubric (with prior approval by the
				MDE) by an individual who derives his/her main source of income from working in
				the visual arts area and who certifies in writing that the student has an
				exceptionally high degree of creativity and ability in the visual arts which
				places them in the top 5% of their age peers in that visual arts area.
Individual Audition
If the student has satisfied minimal criteria as outlined
				above, the student shall successfully complete an individual live audition
				before a Panel of Experts. There must be at least three experts on the panel
				with no more than one being an employee of the district. The teacher in the
				program may not be a member of the panel. All members of the panel shall meet
				at least the following criteria:
1. Possess an advanced degree in the appropriate visual arts
				area, and/or
2. Derive their main source of income from working in the
				appropriate visual arts area.
The district shall maintain written documentation confirming
				the qualifications of each member of the panel.
The members of the panel shall observe the student performing
				in the appropriate visual arts area. The evaluation of the panel shall be
				performed simultaneously, independently, and without discussion of the results.
				Each member of the panel will complete a rubric (with prior approval by the
				MDE) and sign a statement certifying that they find that the student has an
				exceptionally high degree of creativity and exceptionally high ability in the
				visual arts that places them in the top 5% of age peers.
Assessment Report
District personnel shall write an Assessment Report which must
				contain the following components:
1. Student's name,
2. Names of at least two measures, including the scores on each
				measure, that were used to determine that the student satisfied minimal
				acceptable assessment criteria,
3. Individual audition summary,
4. Date that each measure was administered or completed,
5. Completed rubric signed and dated by each member of the
				panel,
6. Signed statement by each member of the panel certifying the
				student's creativity and ability in the visual arts,
7. Name of the person responsible for writing the Assessment
				Report, signature and position, and
8. Date of the Assessment Report.
Eligibility Determination
Once the Assessment Report is finished, the LSC shall meet and
				review all data and determine if eligibility criteria has or has not been
				satisfied. The LSC shall rule that the student is or is not eligible for the
				artistically gifted program.
Parental Notification
District personnel shall notify in writing the parents of each
				student tested for the artistically gifted program about the assessment
				results. District personnel shall offer to explain any of the results that
				parents have questions about. District personnel shall also notify parents in
				writing about their rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
				(FERPA).
IDENTIFICATION OF CREATIVELY GIFTED STUDENTS
Referral
A student may be referred by a teacher, administrator,
				counselor, parent, peer, self, or any other person having reason to believe
				that the student may be creatively gifted. The person initiating the referral
				shall sign the referral form and date it. District personnel shall collect the
				data required to satisfy the district's referral criteria. Only the LSC can
				stop the identification process once a referral has been signed.
Referral Criteria
1. A statement from an individual with documented expertise in
				the performing arts that the student is in the top 10% of age peers in ability
				in the performing arts and has an exceptionally high degree of creativity, and
				one of the following:
2. Published checklist of creativity or a published test of
				creativity,
3. Published checklist of characteristics in the performing
				arts or a published test of ability in the performing arts,
4. Demonstrated individual accomplishment in the performing
				arts such as recognition at the state level or above,
5. Videotape of the student's performance in the performing
				arts evaluated using a rubric, or
6. Other indicators of an exceptionally high degree of ability
				in the performing arts (with prior approval of the MDE).
Each district shall establish the local minimal acceptable
				criteria on each measure used at this stage. Documentation of the measures and
				minimal acceptable criteria for each shall be maintained in a written document
				and approved by the local school board. This document shall be distributed to
				district administrators, school counselors, and teachers, and shall be
				available to parents at each school site.
LSC Review
Once the referral data has been collected, the LSC shall review
				all data and make one of the following recommendations:
1. The student has satisfied minimal criteria and should move
				forward to the assessment stage,
2. The student has not satisfied minimal criteria. However, the
				LSC feels strongly that additional data should be collected and the student
				reconsidered at that time, or
3. The student has not satisfied minimal criteria and the
				identification process should stop.
Parental Permission for Testing
At this time, if parental permission for testing has not been
				obtained, district personnel shall obtain written parental permission for
				testing.
Assessment
Once the LSC has determined that the student should move
				forward to the assessment phase, district personnel shall review all available
				data before deciding which measures are most appropriate to be used during
				assessment. District personnel shall collect measures from at least two of the
				categories of assessment measures. At least one of the measures shall be a
				measure of creativity. A student shall satisfy minimal acceptable criteria on
				the measures used.
Assessment Criteria
1. Published checklist of creativity with a score in at least
				the superior range, or a published test of creativity with a score in at least
				the superior range,
2. Published checklist of characteristics for performing arts
				with a score in at least the superior range, or a published test of ability in
				the performing arts with a score in at least the superior range, or
3. Videotape of the student's performance (must have been taped
				within the past twelve months) evaluated using a rubric (with prior approval by
				the MDE) by an individual who derives their main source of income from working
				in the pertinent performing arts area and who certifies in writing that the
				student has an exceptionally high degree of creativity and ability in the
				performing arts which places them in the top 5% of age peers.
Individual Audition
If the student has satisfied the minimal criteria as outlined
				above, the student shall successfully complete an individual live audition
				before a Panel of Experts. There must be at least three experts on the panel
				with no more than one being an employee of the district. The teacher in the
				program may not be a member of the panel. All members of the panel shall meet
				at least the following criteria:
1. Possess an advanced degree in the appropriate performing
				arts area, and/or
2. Derive main source of income from working in the appropriate
				performing arts area. The district shall maintain written documentation
				confirming the qualifications of each member of the panel.
The members of the panel shall observe a live performance by
				the student in the appropriate performing arts area. The evaluation of the
				panel shall be conducted simultaneously, independently, and without discussion
				of the results. Each member of the panel will complete a rubric (with prior
				approval of the MDE) and sign a statement that they find that the student has
				an exceptionally high degree of creativity and an exceptionally high ability in
				the performing arts that places them in the top 5% of age peers.
Assessment Report
District personnel shall write an Assessment Report which must
				contain the following components.
1. Student's name,
2. Name of at least two measures, with the score on each
				measure, that were used to determine that the student satisfied minimal
				acceptable assessment criteria,
3. Individual audition summary,
4. Date that each measure was administered or completed,
5. Completed rubric signed and dated by each member of the
				panel,
6. Signed statement by each member of the panel certifying the
				student's creativity and ability in the performing arts,
7. Name of person responsible for writing the Assessment
				Report, signature and position, and
8. Date of the Assessment Report.
Eligibility Determination
Once the Assessment Report is finished, the LSC shall meet and
				review all data and determine if eligibility criteria has or has not been
				satisfied. The LSC shall rule that the student is or is not eligible for the
				creatively gifted program.
Parental Notification
District personnel shall notify in writing the parents of each
				student tested for the creatively gifted program about the assessment results.
				District personnel shall offer to explain any of the results that parents have
				questions about. District personnel shall also notify parents in writing about
				their rights under the Family Educational and Privacy Act (FERPA).
NOTE: Students who have a valid Mississippi gifted eligibility
				ruling do not have to be reevaluated. See the annual reassessment statement for
				information on continued placement in a gifted program. A Mississippi
				eligibility determination in any of the four areas shall be accepted by all
				school district's within state provided the district has a program in the
				particular area for which the student has an
				eligibility.