AIG Identification Process

Orange County Schools has developed screening, referral, and results processes that lead to AIG identification at all grade levels. To ensure a transparent and consistent process is used, Orange County Schools uses three steps: screening, referral, and results. The first step, screening, is when the district looks at assessment data to compile a list of students who may need gifted education services. The second step, referral, is when additional data is collected on students who have demonstrated potential need on the screening tools so that a full student profile is available. The third step, results, is when the school's Needs Determination Team (NDT) which is comprised of an administrator, AIG specialist or contact, classroom teachers, and support staff, reviews each child's profile and makes an identification decision. The decision is then communicated to the student's parents/guardians. The steps of each part of the process are outlined below:

Step 1: Screening

Screening can take place at all grade levels. Orange County Schools uses a universal screening process beginning in late 2nd grade and above, which means that activities and assessments in which all students participate are used for screening purposes. These vary by grade span:

Kindergarten - Mid-2nd Grade: Early AIG identification for young children is rare but is sometimes needed to meet student needs. For students who are performing at least one year or more above grade level in both reading and math, individual screening using one-on-one assessments can be utilized to determine if early identification is needed.

Late 2nd Grade: All 2nd grade students take an aptitude assessment (currently the Cognitive Abilities Test, CogAT, Form 7) that measures reasoning skills in verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal areas. This testing will occur in the spring of 2nd grade. Students who score at or above the 95th percentile move on to the referral step. When available, local norms can be utilized.

3rd - 8th Grade: Standardized achievement assessments, such as end-of-grade (EOG) tests, are used to screen students for a referral. Students who score at or above the 95th percentile move on to the referral step. When available, local or subgroup norms can be utilized.

9th - 12th Grade: Standardized achievement assessments, such as end-of-course (EOC) tests, are used to screen students for a referral. Students who score at or above the 95th percentile move on to the referral step. When available, local or subgroup norms can be utilized.

Step 2: Referral

After screening, students who score at or above the screening threshold are referred to the school's Need Determination Team (NDT.) Parents and teachers may also refer students to the Needs Determination Team. The team gathers additional data to develop the student profile and records it on the Data Collection Record Form.

Referral Form

Spanish Referral Form

AIG Nomination and Identification Flow Chart

Spanish AIG Nomination and Identification Flow Chart

Guidelines for Independent Evaluation

Spanish Guidelines for Independent Evaluation

List of District Approved Tests

Spanish List of District Approved Tests

Step 3: Results

The school's Needs Determination Team reviews the student profile and determines if the student meets the criteria for identification. The team's decision is then communicated to the student's parents/guardians.

Identification Definitions:

Academically Gifted: Academically gifted students perform, or show potential to perform, at substantially high levels of accomplishment, when compared with others of their age, experiences, and/or environment, in the academic areas of reading and/or math.
Intellectually Gifted: Intellectually gifted students perform, or show potential to perform, at substantially high levels of accomplishment, when compared with others of their age, experiences, and/or environment, in reasoning and critical thinking in areas outside of reading and math.
Academically/Intellectually Gifted: Academically and intellectually gifted students demonstrate evidence that meets the definitions of both academically gifted and intellectually gifted as listed above.

Identification Pathways:

Students may qualify as academically gifted in reading only; academically gifted in math only; academically gifted in reading and math; intellectually gifted; or academically AND intellectually gifted, through the pathways listed below. The purpose of having multiple pathways is to ensure that no single criterion prevents a student from identification, and ensures that both quantitative and qualitative data is used in the identification process.

When available, local or subgroup-based norms can be utilized in pathways 1, 2, or 3. Subgroups include race/ethnicity, gender, and English Language Learner (ELL) status.

Orange County Schools Academically/Intellectually Gifted Identification Pathways Table

*NOTE: All tests must be district approved.

Academically Gifted- Reading ONLY	Academically Gifted- Math ONLY
To be identified as academically gifted-reading ONLY, the student must meet the criteria of ONE of the pathways listed below: Pathway 1: 95th percentile or higher on the verbal portion of an aptitude test (when available, local norms will be used) Pathway 2: 95th percentile or higher on the reading portion of two standardized achievement tests (when available, local or subgroup norms can be used) Pathway 3: A portfolio of artifacts that demonstrate high performance or the potential to perform in reading, which may include: ● Assessment scores using subgroup norms ● Work samples/artifacts ● Performance tasks ● Teacher observations ● Parent observations Pathway 4 (Highly Gifted): 98th percentile or higher on the verbal portion of a standardized aptitude test AND 98th percentile or higher on the reading portion of a standardized achievement test	To be identified as academically gifted-math ONLY, the student must meet the criteria of ONE of the pathways listed below: Pathway 1: 95th percentile or higher on the quantitative portion, or quantitative-nonverbal partial composite, of an aptitude test (when available, local norms will be used) Pathway 2: 95th percentile or higher on the mathematics portion of two standardized achievement tests (when available, local or subgroup norms can be used) Pathway 3: A portfolio of artifacts that demonstrate high performance or the potential to perform in math, which may include: ● Assessment scores using subgroup norms ● Work samples/artifacts ● Performance tasks ● Teacher observations ● Parent observations Pathway 4 (Highly Gifted): 98th percentile or higher on the quantitative portion, or quantitative-nonverbal partial composite, of a standardized aptitude test AND 98th percentile or higher on the mathematics portion of a standardized achievement test
		Academically Gifted- Reading AND Math
		To be identified as academically gifted-reading AND math, the student must meet the criteria of ONE of the pathways listed in the reading column AND ONE of the pathways listed in the math column
		Intellectually Gifted	Academically AND Intellectually Gifted
To be identified as intellectually gifted, the student must score at the 95th percentile or higher on the nonverbal portion of a nationally-normed, district-approved aptitude test	To be identified as academically AND intellectually gifted, the student must meet the criteria of ONE of the pathways listed for academically gifted- reading only, math only, or reading and math, AND the criteria listed for intellectually gifted