Begin by talking with the gifted representative at your child’s school. They will be able to answer your questions about the identification process. You can also review the identification pages on General Intellectual Ability or Specific Academic Ability, and Talent Identifications for additional information about the required data needed for gifted identification. The DPS identification process is open and accessible to all students. Families may have additional information about their child that may not be seen in a school setting. We encourage families to connect with their school’s GT representative to discuss the body of evidence toward identification and to determine which identification pathway is appropriate for the child. 

If you are transferring to DPS from out-of-district, please email us Gifted & Talented with any additional questions.

The terms below are used to describe where a student stands within the identification process. 

For specific identification questions, please reach out to your child’s GT teacher or point of contact at their school.

Magnet Eligible (ME): Students with a 95th percentile or above on a nationally normed cognitive test, but have no been formally identified HGT yet.

Highly Gifted (HGT): Formally identified Gifted students with a 95th percentile or above on a nationally normed cognitive test.

Gifted (GT): Identified Gifted students who do not have a qualifying cognitive test score.

• Gifted (GT): This formal identification occurs when a student has a qualifying body of evidence, but the body of evidence does not include a qualifying cognitive score. Observation scales and/or academic scores fall within the 95-99th percentile. Students can receive a GT designation based upon a body of evidence that includes achievement scores, observation scales, portfolio displays of work, or other qualifying data. Students with this designation will receive an Advanced Learning Plan (ALP), but are not eligible to attend an HGT magnet site.

• Highly Gifted (HGT): This formal identification occurs when the student's body of evidence includes a cognitive score in the 95th percentile or above in the presence of other qualifying data points. Students with HGT designation are eligible to “choice-in” to any HGT magnet school and will receive an Advanced Learning Plan (ALP) in the designated area(s) of giftedness.

• Magnet Eligible (ME): If your child has been designated magnet eligible (ME), they have scored in the 95th percentile or above of their age group, but they do not yet have all of the other required pieces in the body of evidence to receive a formal identification.  Since collection of the body of evidence toward formal HGT identification may take time, the ME designation is a placeholder that allows for families to have the opportunity to go through the School Choice process to attend an HGT Magnet site if interested. Your school's GT teacher will be actively working toward formal HGT identification once a student has the ME designation. The Magnet Eligible (ME) designation does not automatically mean that a student has been determined HGT.  This means they are in process of identification and have more school options instead of having to wait for formal identification to have the choice to move to an HGT Magnet School. No Advanced Learning Plan is written until the student is formally identified.

• Talent Pool (TP): If your child has a Talent Pool designation, it means that a teacher has discovered evidence that shows potential for growth in a specific academic area, but there is not yet enough evidence for formal GT or HGT identification. This designation allows a student to receive gifted and talented programming while the GT teacher continues to pursue the necessary data points for a formal identification. Programming varies from site to site. Please reach out to your school's GT Teacher to better understand what to expect for programming of Talent Pool students at your school. Students in the Talent Pool do not receive Advanced Learning Plans and are not eligible to attend a magnet site. Most students are exited from the Talent Pool after three years if there is not enough evidence for formal Gifted identification. Students can always be placed back into the Talent Pool if there is qualifying data that occurs after the initial exit.

The specific talent identification pathway is used to identify students with a demonstrated talent beyond what is typical for peers of the same age in one or more of the categories:

• Visual Arts

• Performing Arts

• Music

• Dance

• Psychomotor

• Creativity

• Leadership

The talent pathway requires demonstration of the ability over time. To be identified in a talent area, a referral form must be received to start the process. Referrals can be submitted by any adult who knows the child (such as family members, friends, community members, students, teachers, etc.). The specific talent identification pathway is the ONLY pathway that requires a referral to start the process of identification.

Please refer to the Talent Pathway Talent Identification Guide for Families; Translations to learn more about the specific criteria required for a talent identification within DPS. To nominate a student for a talent area, please submit a Referral Form; Translations.

The GT Teacher at your school can help assist you in this process. Please contact them for support.

The GT representative at your school can answer further questions about the process.