Please follow these steps to  ensure a smooth transition for your family and your child into the Gifted and Talented system. 

Before any identification can be carried over from another district, state, or country, a student's data must be reviewed for portability. Please request records from your child's current school that may include any or all of the following

• Cognitive Assessments (CogAT, NNAT, WISC, WPPSI, DAS, KABC, etc)

• Achievement Assessments (State testing, Iowa Assessments, iReady, STAR, MAPS, CMAS, Aprenda, Logramos, etc)

• Observation Scales (SIGS, GRS, etc)

• Any Advanced Learning Plans (ALPS). Note: in some states this may be classified as the IEP for Gifted and Talented.

• Gifted and Talented identification summary sheets. Many districts will have a printout that summarizes all of the data used for identification.

• Anecdotal data from the school or teacher that discuss the student's gifted abilities

• Identification portfolios of advanced student work

• Any evidence of whole grade or single-subject acceleration, if applicable

Once you have the data, please submit complete the New to District Intake Form. 

Please note: Review of your child's information does not automatically guarantee acceptance into the DPS Gifted and Talented Department or placement at a magnet site.  

What to Do If Your Child Does Not Have Data
If your child does not have any of the data listed above, then they are eligible to test with our department with a cognitive assessment to begin building the body of evidence. Please submit a Cognitive Testing Nomination Form if this applies to your situation. 

Once the New to District Intake Form is completed and all files have been uploaded for review, the DPS Gifted and Talented Department will conduct a review. Please allow for up to two weeks for a response.

The GT department will look at the data to determine portability of any identification. Next steps will be outlined in the communication you will receive. 

Outcome: HGT or GT Identification
If the data set is complete to the identification criteria set by the State of Colorado, then the portability will be honored and your child's data will be added to their file with the appropriate outcome. The teacher at the enrolled school will build out the Advanced Learning Plan. 

If your child is identified as HGT, they will be eligible to attend a HGT Magnet Site if that is appropriate.

Outcome: Magnet Eligibility
If your child has a cognitive score in the 95th percentile or higher, but does not have the complete body of evidence requited by the State of Colorado for a formal Gifted identification, a Magnet Eligibility status will be applied to your child's file. Consider this an "in progress status" that will allow for your child to receive GT services while they are in process for full identification. The GT teacher at the enrolled school will continue to build a body of evidence towards a full identification. Any observation scales, achievement testing, or portfolio creation will be conducted by the GT teacher at the school. Students are also eligible to attend a magnet school.

Outcome: No Decision on Identification
If the data does not include enough information to inform an identification or magnet eligibility status, the committee will recommend next steps in the process. 

Any information sent in the Intake Form will be included in the student file and will be available to the classroom teacher. The GT teacher at the school can continue to build the full body of evidence needed to make an identification. 

The committee may recommend having your child participate in cognitive testing during our nomination windows. 

The GT Department review may inform your decision as to where you may want to enroll your child. If their data is qualifying for HGT or magnet eligibility, then you may consider seeking placement at a HGT Magnet Site. 

If the data is not qualifying for a magnet site, please contact the Office of Choice and Enrollment to apply to other schools. Gifted and Talented services are available at every school in DPS. Since DPS is a site-based district, the GT programming varies from school to school. We recommend looking at our GT Programs and Services page and the Programming Plan (updated every fall semester) for information about what to expect. 

If you have further questions or wish to speak with with someone in our GT Department, please contact us:

Email Gifted and Talented

Main Office: 720-423-2056