All public schools in Georgia are mandated to operate a program for academically talented children in Grades K-12. In Pike County, this program is called Gifted. Because all students should have the opportunity to develop their intellectual and artistic strengths and talents, programs for the gifted and talented are an essential part of the curriculum of Pike County Schools. The Gifted Program extends the adopted curriculum and delivers instruction with increased pace and rigor in order to encourage gifted learners to promote the critical, creative, and practical application of knowledge.
Gifted Program Qualification Requirements
*To Qualify, Student Must Meet the State Requirements of Option A or B
Option A — Meet both requirements:
Grades K-2:
1. Mental Ability: 99th percentile Composite
2. Achievement: 90th percentile or better in Total Math, Total Reading, or Composite (Core)
Grades 3-12:
1. Mental Ability: 96th percentile or better Composite
2. Achievement: 90th percentile or better in Total Math, Total Reading, or Composite (Core)
Option B — Meet three of four requirements:
Grades K-12
1. Mental Ability: 96th percentile or better in Composite, Verbal, Non-verbal or Quantitative
2. Achievement: 90th percentile or better in Total Math, Total Reading, or Composite (Core)
3. Motivation: Grades K-5: 90th percentile or better on teacher observation form; Grades 6-12: 3.5 GPA in core academic courses over previous two years
4. Creativity: 90th percentile or better on Torrance Test of Creative Thinking
Students who fail to qualify are reassessed no sooner than two years from the original testing date.
Referrals for Gifted Programs
Children are referred automatically as a result of system-wide or school-wide testing. Children may also be referred by teachers, counselors, parents, or administrators. To refer a child for screening, please contact the school counselor in your child’s school. Two testing windows are established for each academic year. Assessment is scheduled within those windows. The spring and fall windows assess all referrals. Gifted testing is a lengthy process and can take 6-8 weeks until final result are released to parents. When a child is referred for assessment, parents are notified in writing. Under State guidelines, test scores are valid for two years. Retesting, should that be necessary, occurs at the close of two years.
