O'Neill Public Schools

Not every child has an equal talent or an equal ability or equal motivation, but children have the equal right to   develop their talent, their ability, and their motivation.

                                                ~John F. Kennedy

Identification Procedures

          O’Neill Public Schools identifies students as high ability learners in a variety of ways.  One way we identify students is through test scores.  In her book Helping Gifted Children Soar, Carol A. Strip, Ph.D. reminds us that “a child is more than a test score, but tests can provide some objective ways of measuring ability and potential, as well as, achievement in various areas.”

  O’Neill Public Schools uses TCS2 (Test of Cognitive Skills) in grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 11.  This is an ability test.  It measures general intelligence and verbal and nonverbal reasoning.  A score of 120 or above will automatically place a student in the talent pool.

Achievement tests are also used to identify students.  These tests measure skills in various curriculum areas.  The California Achievement Test is given in the spring of the year in grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 11.  Using national norms, students with a score of 94% or above on Reading Composite, Language Composite, Math Composite, Science, or Total Composite will be put into the talent pool.

    To insure that no child is missed, students with cognitive and learning disabilities have tests read to them.  Students with limited English proficiency also have tests read to them.  

Some students with gifted potential do not test well.  This is the reason teacher recommendations hold equal value to test scores.  The only condition is teachers must be trained in identifying characteristics of students with high ability.

    Parents and self-nominations are available upon request, but these will not be used to  automatically identify a student.  Nominations are taken to a special committee consisting of the enrichment coordinator, administrator, guidance counselor, high ability learner committee member, and classroom teacher who will carry out a case study.                       

Advice for Parents 

    The purpose of a test is to help understand the students in order to develop an appropriate educational plan.  You can help prepare your child by being supportive, not pressuring, and making certain that your child is well-rested prior to testing.

    If your child is tested, be sure you understand what the score means, and take the results with a grain of salt.  After all, test results are only one of the many indicators of what an individual may be able to accomplish in life.  

Resources 

Linda Silverman is the director of the Gifted Development Center in Denver, Colorado.  You may read several of her articles at: http://www.gifteddevelopment.com/

Questions or comments, please contact Jennifer Selting Bauer at jbauer@esu8.org .

Pages last updated on: 12/16/2005