Granite School District provides differentiated educational experiences and programs based on individual student needs. Gifted & Talented programs address the academic and emotional needs of students that have advanced content knowledge and skills, and/or show evidence of extraordinary ability in one or more specific disciplines.
What kind of test would my child take?
From October through March, high-ability students in grades 2-5 are given an abbreviated test of basic skills. This is an achievement test designed to assess advanced content mastery. It is given two grade levels above the student’s current grade.
Fifth and sixth grade students entering junior high will be administered the SAGES – 2 (Screening Assessment for Gifted Elementary and Secondary) and the Cognitive Abilities Test, which compares the student’s cognitive ability to a nationally normed group of the same age level.
Students in grades K-1 are tested in January and February and are screened using the DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy). Those who score high enough on the screening will be administered an Reading Inventory Test and a Cognitive Abilities Test.
How do refer my child for Gifted & Talented testing?
If your child displays the following characteristics to a high degree, you may want to recommend your child for testing:
- Has quick mastery and recall of information
- Has unusually advanced vocabulary for age
- Has rapid insights into cause-effect relationships
- Reads a great deal on their own and comprehends at advanced levels for age
To recommend your student for assessment for gifted and talented services, please contact your neighborhood school’s gifted facilitator or office. For further information contact the Gifted Office at 385-646-4620.
What’s the testing window?
The testing window is October 10 – December 9 for grades 3-5 and students entering junior high. Kindergarten and first grade will be tested in January and February. Some students may have been assessed in a previous year. It is not necessary to re-assess a student once they have been evaluated.
However, students who would like to be considered for the Advanced Learning Center program at Morningside Elementary or Fox Hills Elementary in grades 1-6 or the Gifted Dual Immersion Program at West Kearns Elementary (kindergarten – all students, first through third Spanish speakers only), must participate this year in the assessments at their current school, even if they have previously been tested.
From these assessments, district staff will determine those students who qualify for a placement in the Advanced Learning Center program. All testing will take place in the neighborhood schools.