Gifted Education

Downingtown Area School District supports gifted education in elementary, middle, and high school through individualized plans (GIEPs) that provide specially designed instruction to enrich, to accelerate, or to provide a combination of both programming services to nurture and to develop the identified strengths of the academically gifted student.

Gifted programming conforms to the mandates outlined in Chapter 16 of the PA Code: Special Education for Gifted Students. These regulations define a mentally gifted student as a student possessing "outstanding intellectual and creative ability the development of which requires specially designed programs or support services, or both, not ordinarily provided in the regular education program.

DASD Board Policy 114 - Gifted Education

Identification Process

Gifted Education Process

DASD’s gifted education identification process is designed to find students who exhibit early indicators of having academic needs that fall outside the scope and sequence of our traditional curricula and to strategically move these students through a series of screening assessments up to and including, when indicated, an individual cognitive assessment.

Parents may request that a student be screened at any time to determine his or her eligibility for gifted education services. Requests should be made in writing to the student’s teacher who will forward the request to the gifted education teacher.
A Universal Screening process exists to locate and to identify all students within the district who are thought to be gifted and in need of specially designed instruction through a review of benchmark data.
Downingtown utilizes a multi-tiered and multiple criteria screening and evaluation process to determine students’ educational strengths.
Following the initial screening process, the gifted education teacher notifies parents whether their student meets criteria to move forward for an individual cognitive assessment. If the student meets criteria, the School Psychologist issues a Gifted Permission to Evaluate to the parent(s).
A School Psychologist conducts the evaluation and issues a Gifted Written Report (GWR) that details the student’s strengths and makes a finding whether the student meets criteria to be identified as mentally gifted and in need of specially designed instruction.
If the student is found to be gifted, a Gifted Individualized Education Plan (GIEP) outlining goals and specially designed instruction is developed.
The gifted education teacher will notify each of the student’s teachers of their responsibilities as outlined in the student's Gifted Individualized Education Plan (GIEP).
The GIEP is reviewed and revised annually.

K-5 Identification Matrix

K-5

K-5 Aimsweb+ Math Composite @90th percentile or higher

Math

Phase I Screener K-5: End of Year Math Assessment

September – November: Current year EOY
- Scoring Key
  - 80%+ - 4 points
  - 70-79% - 3 points
  - 60-69% - 2 points
  - 50-59% - 1 point
December-February: Current Year EOY
- Scoring Key
  - 95%+ - 4 points
  - 85-94% - 3 points
  - 75-84% - 2 points
  - 65-74% - 1 point
March – June: Rising year EOY
- Scoring Key
  - 70%+ - 4 points
  - 55-69% - 3 points
  - 40-54% - 2 points
  - 25-39% - 1 point

Phase I Criterion Score: 4 total points or 3 points in either math or ELA

Phase II Screener K-8: Reasoning Screening Assessment
- Reasoning Ability
- General Ability
- Mathematics/Science ability
- Scoring Key (points earned for each of the Index Scores):
  - 130+ - 3 points
  - 120-129 - 2 points
  - 110-119 - 1 point

Phase II Criterion Score: 7 total points in either math or ELA

Phase III A: Parent and Teacher Input (no points assigned)
Phase III B: Individual Cognitive Assessment
- Scoring Key (higher of FSIQ/GAI)
  - 133+ - 12 points
  - 128-132 - 9 points
  - 126-127 - 6 points
  - 125 - 3 points

Math Identification Matrix

Math EOY points
Mathematics/Science Reasoning points
Reasoning Ability points
General Ability points
FSIQ/GAI points

Phase III Criterion Score for gifted math identification: 15 matrix points

K-5

Aimsweb+ Reading Composite or Reading Comprehension @90th percentile or higher

ELA

Phase I Screener K-5: Aimsweb+ Reading Composite or Comprehension

Use most recent Aimsweb+ testing window (fall, winter, spring) and the higher of the 2 scores (Composite/Comprehension)
- Scoring Key
  - >98th percentile - 4 points
  - 96th-97th percentile - 3 points
  - 94th-95th percentile - 2 points
  - 90th-93rd percentile - 1 point

Phase I Criterion Score: 4 total points or 3 points in either math or ELA

Phase II Screener K-8: Reasoning Screening Assessment

Reasoning Ability
General Ability
Language Arts/Social Studies ability
Scoring Key (points earned for each of the Index Scores):
- 130+ - 3 points
- 120-129 - 2 points
- 110-119 - 1 point

Phase II Criterion Score: 7 total points in either math or ELA

Phase III A: Parent and Teacher Input (no points assigned)
Phase III B: Individual Cognitive Assessment

Scoring Key (higher of FSIQ/GAI)
- 133+ - 12 points
- 128-132 - 9 points
- 126-127 - 6 points
- 125 - 3 points

ELA Identification Matrix

ELA Aimsweb+ points
Language Arts/Social Studies Reasoning points
Reasoning Ability points General Ability points
FSIQ/GAI points

Phase III Criterion Score for gifted ELA identification: 15 matrix points

6-8 Identification Matrix

6-8

6 Aimsweb+ Math Composite @90th percentile or higher

7/8 Aimsweb+ Math Composite @98th percentile or higher

Math

Phase I Screener 6th: End of Year Math Assessment

August – December: Current year EOY
- Scoring Key
  - 80%+ - 4 points
  - 70-79% - 3 points
  - 60-69% - 2 points
  - 50-59% - 1 point
January – June: Rising year EOY
- Scoring Key
  - 70%+ 4 points
  - 55-69% 3 points
  - 40-54% 2 points
  - 25-39% 1 point

Phase I Screener 6-8: Math CDT

August – December: mapped to grade above
January – June: mapped to rising grade
- Scoring Key for both
  - ALL scores and all whiskers in blue - 4 points
  - ALL scores in blue, but some whiskers in green - 3 points
  - Composite score blue, but at least one area indicator in green - 2 points
  - Composite score blue, but more than one indicator in green - 1 point

Phase I Criterion Score: 4 total points or 3 points in either math or ELA

Phase II Screener K-8: Reasoning Screening Assessment

Reasoning Ability
General Ability
Mathematics/Science ability
- Scoring Key (points earned for each of the Index Scores):
  - 130+ - 3 points
  - 120-129 - 2 points
  - 110-119 - 1 point

Phase II Criterion Score: 7 total points in either math or ELA

Phase III A: Parent and Teacher Input (no points assigned)
Phase III B: Individual Cognitive Assessment

Scoring Key (higher of FSIQ/GAI)
- 133+ - 12 points
- 128-132 - 9 points
- 126-127 - 6 points
- 125 - 3 points

Math Identification Matrix

Math EOY points
Mathematics/Science Reasoning points
Reasoning Ability points
General Ability points
FSIQ/GAI points

Phase III Criterion Score for gifted math identification: 15 matrix points

6-8

6 Aimsweb+ Reading Composite or Reading Comprehension @90th percentile or higher

7/8 Aimsweb+ Reading Composite or Reading Comprehension @98th percentile or higher

ELA

Phase I Screener 6th: Aimsweb+ Reading Composite or Comprehension

Use most recent Aimsweb+ testing window (fall, winter, spring) and the higher of the 2 scores (Composite/Comprehension)
- Scoring Key
  - >98th percentile - 4 points
  - 96th-97th percentile - 3 points
  - 94th-95th percentile - 2 points
  - 90th-93rd percentile - 1 point

Phase I Screener 7-8: ELA CDT

August – December: mapped to current grade
January – June: mapped to rising grade
- Scoring Key for both
  - ALL scores and all whiskers in blue - 4 points
  - ALL scores in blue, but some whiskers in green - 3 points
  - Composite score blue, but at least one area indicator in green - 2 points
  - Composite score blue, but more than one indicator in green - 1 point

Phase I Criterion Score: 4 total points or 3 points in either math or ELA

Phase II Screener K-8: Reasoning Screening Assessment

Reasoning Ability
General Ability
Language Arts/Social Studies ability
Scoring Key (points earned for each of the Index Scores):
- 130+ - 3 points
- 120-129 - 2 points
- 110-119 - 1 point

Phase II Criterion Score: 7 total points in either math or ELA

Phase III A: Parent and Teacher Input (no points assigned)
Phase III B: Individual Cognitive Assessment

Scoring Key (higher of FSIQ/GAI)
- 133+ - 12 points
- 128-132 - 9 points
- 126-127 - 6 points
- 125 - 3 points

ELA Identification Matrix

ELA Aimsweb+ points
Language Arts/Social Studies Reasoning points
Reasoning Ability points
General Ability points
FSIQ/GAI points

Phase III Criterion Score for gifted ELA identification: 15 matrix points

HS Identification Matrix

Math

Phase I Screener: GMADE

Scoring Key
- 99th+ percentile - 4 points
- 98th percentile - 3 points
- 97th percentile - 2 points
- 96th percentile - 1 point

Phase I Criterion Score: 5 total or 3 points in either math or ELA

Phase II Screener: Algebra II CDT

Scoring Key
- 1800 overall - 4 points
- 1700-1799 overall - 3 points
- 1600-1699 overall - 2 points
- 1500-1599 overall - 1 point

Phase II Criterion Score: 7 points in either math or ELA

Phase III A: Parent and Teacher Input (no points assigned)
Phase III B: Course Placement and Grade

Taking highest grade-level course available
Grade reflects ceiling
- Formative and Summative Assessments
- Project grades

Phase III C: Individual Cognitive Assessment

Scoring Key (higher of FSIQ/GAI)
- 133+ - 12 points
- 128-132 - 9 points
- 126-127 - 6 points
- 125 - 3 points

Math Identification Matrix

GMADE points
CDT points
FSIQ/GAI points

Phase III Criterion Score for gifted math identification: 15 matrix points

ELA

Phase I Screener: GRADE

Scoring Key
- 99th+ percentile - 4 points
- 98th percentile - 3 points
- 97th percentile - 2 points
- 96th percentile - 1 point

Phase I Criterion Score: 5 total or 3 points in either math or ELA

Phase II Screener: Grade-level ELA CDT

Scoring Key
- 1800 overall - 4 points
- 1700-1799 overall - 3 points
- 1600-1699 overall - 2 points
- 1500-1599 overall - 1 point

Phase II Criterion Score: 7 points in either math or ELA

Phase III A: Parent and Teacher Input (no points assigned)

Phase III B: Course Placement and Grade

Taking highest grade-level course available
Grade reflects ceiling
- Formative and Summative Assessments
- Project grades

Phase III C: Individual Cognitive Assessment

Scoring Key (higher of FSIQ/GAI)
- 133+ - 12 points
- 128-132 - 9 points
- 126-127 - 6 points
- 125 - 3 points

ELA Identification Matrix

GRADE points
CDT points
FSIQ/GAI points

Phase III Criterion Score for gifted ELA identification: 15 matrix points

Ch. 16: Special Education for Gifted Students

Notice of Parental Rights for Gifted Students

Navigation

Characteristics of Gifted Children

Is it a Cheetah?
Bright vs. Gifted Child
Traits of Giftedness

Parent Resources

Supporting Emotional Needs of Gifted
PA Association for Gifted Education
Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth
National Association for Gifted Children

Main Navigation

Mobile Navigation

Find it Fast

Parents & Students

Staff

Community

Schools Panel

Elementary Schools

Middle Schools

High Schools

K-12

Sidebar Container

Sticky call to action buttons

Custom Class: header-logo

Custom Class: mobile-cta-buttons

In This Section

Gifted Education

Identification Process

Gifted Education Process

K-5 Identification Matrix

K-5

Math

K-5

ELA

6-8 Identification Matrix

6-8

Math

6-8

ELA

HS Identification Matrix

Math

ELA

Ch. 16: Special Education for Gifted Students

Notice of Parental Rights for Gifted Students

Navigation

Characteristics of Gifted Children

Parent Resources