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Understanding the Gifted and Talented Identification and

Instructional Recommendation Process 2024–2025

In accordance with Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Regulation IOA-RA, Gifted and Talented Education, and Code of Maryland Regulation 13A.04.07, Gifted and Talented Education, students participate in a universal screening process for gifted and talented (GT) identification.  All MCPS Grade 2 students are universally screened as part of the Student Instructional Program Planning and Implementation (SIPPI) process, also known as the gifted and talented identification process. Additionally, students currently in Grades 3, 5 and 7 who are new to MCPS and students who have not previously met the gifted and talented designation will be screened this school year. SIPPI is designed to capture data about students’ strengths for gifted and talented identification and for instructional planning for the next school year. In June, parents will receive a letter that includes their student’s gifted and talented identification designation. Grade 2 letters will include instructional recommendations for literacy and mathematics. Students do not need to be formally identified as gifted and talented to receive opportunities for enrichment and/or acceleration at their local school.

The gifted and talented identification process is completely separate from the MCPS elementary and middle school central review and magnet admission processes. GT designation is not considered in the elementary Centers for Enriched Studies or middle school magnet (Humanities and Communication; Math, Science, Computer Science) selection processes. GT designation is one indicator of advanced academic performance and/or potential that is considered with other data to inform opportunities for enriched and accelerated instruction at the local school. Schools will monitor and analyze student data to make informed decisions regarding enrichment and acceleration in the core content areas.  

What data sources are used for the 2024–2025 gifted and talented screening processes?

The SIPPI screening process uses data from a variety of sources, including a cognitive assessment,  academic assessments and behavioral checklists. The Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) scores from Spring of Grade 4 will be used for current Grade 5 students, and the MCAP Spring scores from Grade 6 will be used for current Grade 7 students.

Data sources for 2024–2025 include:

Cognitive Assessment:

• Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT)

Academic Assessments:

• Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS)
• Lectura (Spanish version of DIBELS)
• Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Reading & Mathematics
• Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) English/Language Arts & Mathematics

Behavioral Checklists:

• Teacher Survey(s)
• Parent Input Form
• Staff Advocacy Form (Optional)
  

Click a grade level below to see specific grade level criteria for GT designation for the 2024-2025 school year. 
                        Grade 2                 Grade 3                Grade 5                Grade 7

 Grade 2 SY 2024-2025

There are three pathways for grade 2 GT identification. The criteria for each pathway is described below. Data will be used from Grade 1 Spring 2024 and Grade 2 Fall 2024. MAP scores will be locally and nationally normed.

2024-2025 GT Identification Frequently Asked Questions 

 Grade 3 SY 2024-2025

There are three pathways for grade 3 GT identification. The criteria for each pathway is described below. Data will be used from Grade 2 Spring 2024 and Grade 3 Fall 2024. MAP scores will be locally and nationally normed.

2024-2025 GT Identification Frequently Asked Questions 

Grade 5 SY 2024-2025

There are two pathways for grade 5 GT identification. The criteria for each pathway is described below. Data will be used from Grade 4 Spring 2024 and Grade 5 Fall 2024. MAP scores will be locally and nationally normed.

2024-2025 GT Identification Frequently Asked Questions

 Grade 7  SY 2024-2025

There are two pathways for grade 7 GT identification. The criteria for each pathway is described below. Data will be used from Grade 6 Spring 2024 and Grade 7 Fall 2024. MAP scores will be locally and nationally normed.

2024-2025 GT Identification Frequently Asked Questions 

Gifted and Talented Identification- 2024-2025 FAQs

In what instances are students rescreened?

For the 2024–2025 school year, students currently in Grade 3, 5 or 7, who did not previously meet the criteria for gifted and talented designation, and do not receive Alternative Learning Outcomes (ALOs) will be rescreened.

If a student does not meet the gifted and talented criteria using the MCPS identified data sources, can alternate MCPS data sources be used?

No, alternate MCPS data sources will not be considered.  Content area supervisors and district-level directors have identified specific academic data sources from the MCPS 2024-2025 Required Assessment Timeline to ensure the use of consistent measures for all students within a grade level.

What are locally normed scores?

Gifted and talented experts recommend the use of local norms of assessment scores as an equitable approach to ensure equity and access in identification of students for program access. Additionally, the current draft of Gifted and Talented Definitions from the Maryland State Department of Education includes the use of local norms as part of the gifted and talented identification process.  MCPS locally normed scores are designed to examine test takers in relation to one another within MCPS. As part of the GT Identification process, scores obtained on the MAP assessment for grades 2, 3, 5, and 7 were locally normed.  The socioeconomic status of elementary schools will be used to establish local norms. In establishing local norms, students in schools with similar FARMS rates were grouped together for comparison.  

How is the MAP being normed for this process?

The NWEA 2020 national norms and MCPS local norms will be used in the gifted and talented identification process.

How are parents informed of school-based instructional recommendations for students being universally screened in grade 2?

School teams consider multiple sources of formal and informal data and make recommendations for literacy and mathematics instructional programming for the following school year. Those recommendations are included in the gifted and talented identification letter that is provided to parents in June.

How do schools make decisions about enriched and/or accelerated instructional programming opportunities at the local school?

School staff review multiple formal and informal data measures for each student, note strengths that have been demonstrated, and make literacy and mathematics instructional recommendations. A gifted and talented designation does not mean that a student must receive enrichment in literacy and in mathematics, however it can be used as one indicator of potential and/or be one of several data sources considered when determining whether a student demonstrates a need for additional enrichment. For example, a student’s data profile may indicate a need for enrichment in literacy, but not necessarily in mathematics.  Also, a student does not need to meet the gifted and talented designation to access opportunities for acceleration or enrichment.

What is the difference between GT identification and Central Review at grades 3 and 5?

The gifted and talented identification process is facilitated by the office of Accelerated and Enriched Instruction (AEI) and is separate from the central review process. The GT designation is not considered as a prerequisite or criteria for the elementary Centers for Enriched Studies (CES) and Middle School Magnet programs.

Students currently enrolled in Grades 3 and 5 receive central office instructional recommendations for enrichment in literacy as part of a central review process that is facilitated by the Division of Consortia Choice Application Programs and Services (DCCAPS). The central review process makes recommendations for enrichment and places students into a lottery pool for the elementary Centers for Enriched Studies (CES) and Middle School Magnet programs.

Is previous identification as gifted and talented from another school district considered?

If a student has been identified as “gifted and talented” by another school system, MCPS will honor that designation. To do so, the parent/guardian must complete 2024-2025 Prior Gifted and Talented Designation Form and submit the identification/eligibility letter and official testing report to their school’s elementary Gifted and Talented (GT) Liaison or middle school Accelerated and Enriched Instruction Support Teacher (AEIST) for the Office of Accelerated and Enriched Instruction (AEI) to review.

Are group administered cognitive ability assessments considered?

If a student has documentation of an MSDE approved assessment, AEI will review the assessment and apply criteria to render a gifted and talented designation.  The parent/guardian must complete 2024-2025 Gifted and Talented Designation Review and submit documentation to their elementary Gifted and Talented (GT) Liaison or middle school Accelerated and Enriched Instruction Support Teacher (AEIST) for AEI to review.  If the student does not meet the criteria for gifted and talented designation, the student may participate in the MCPS screening process (in Grade 2, 3, 5, or 7) to inform instructional programming decisions.

MSDE Approved Group Administered Cognitive Ability Assessments:                       

●   Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT)

●   Terra Nova InView of Cognitive Skills

●    Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT)

●    Otis Lennon School Ability Assessment (OLSAT)

Are individually administered cognitive ability assessments considered?

If a student has documentation of an MSDE approved assessment, administered within the last calendar year by a licensed psychologist, and has not previously been identified as gifted and talented, AEI will review the documentation as part of the gifted identification process. The parent/guardian must complete 2024-2025 Gifted and Talented Designation Review and submit documentation to the elementary Gifted and Talented (GT) Liaison or middle school Accelerated and Enriched Instruction Support Teacher (AEIST) for AEI to review.  Individually administered assessments must have been administered in the last year and will be reviewed by the school psychologist for verification. If the student does not meet the criteria for gifted and talented designation, the student may participate in the MCPS screening process (in Grade 2, 3, 5, or 7) so the local school may gather additional data to inform instructional programming decisions.

MSDE Approved Individually Administered Cognitive Ability Assessments:

●   Stanford/Binet

●   Wechsler Preschool Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI)

●   Woodcock-Johnson Test of Cognitive Ability (WJ)

●   Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC)