Gifted Program
Gifted Program in Roswell Independent School District
RISD provides gifted services for students in grades 3-12.
All students are tested universally during the Spring semester of 2nd grade. Students take the Cognitive Abilities Test: Form 7 (CogAT:7). The CogAT:7 is an individually or small group administered battery of standardized tests specifically designed to appraise the cognitive development of students from kindergarten (age 4 year-11 month) through grade 12 (age 21 year -7month). The test measures students’ learned reasoning abilities and must be completed within a specified time. Although grounded in biological processes, these abilities are developed through in-school and out-of-school experiences. This test is not merely a screener; it contains three batteries of tests: verbal, quantitative, and non-verbal. This test is an approved alternative method for gifted identification.
By using universal testing, we are able to use local norming, which means students are compared to other RISD students rather than being compared to students across the nation. We believe this process allows us to more equitably identify the gifted students in our district.
Students third grade and up may still be tested for the gifted program. Teachers will need to start a Student Assistance Team (SAT) file on the student and compile data that indicates the student’s needs are not being met in the general education classroom leading to a need for testing for gifted services. Students in grades 3-12 will be scored based on national norms as it is impossible to locally norm when so few students are taking the test.
When identifying gifted students, we look at students scoring at or above the 98th percentile with consideration to the standard error measure (SEM) of +/-3. This means students scoring at the 95th to the 97th percentile are considered for gifted services but may require additional data for identification purposes; for this reason, the SAT file is crucial to students in grades 3-12.
RISD does not provide gifted services to non-RISD students.
For more information, please contact Dr. Laura Lucero-Carrillo, (575) 627-2594, or your school’s SAT chair.
Eligibility Considerations and Criteria:
Gifted (G) is defined as a school-age child whose intellectual ability paired with subject matter aptitude/achievement, creativity/divergent thinking, or problem-solving/critical thinking meet the following criteria:
- “Intellectual Ability” means a score two standard deviations above the mean as defined by the test author on a properly administered intelligence measure. The test administrator must also consider the standard error of measure (SEM) in the determination of whether or not criteria have been met in this area.
The child also meets the criteria in one or more of the following areas:
- “Subject matter aptitude/achievement” means superior academic performance on a total subject area score on a standardized measure, or as documented by information from other sources.
- “Creativity/divergent thinking’ means outstanding performance on a test of creativity/divergent thinking, or in creativity/divergent thinking as documented by information from other sources.
- “Problem-solving/critical thinking” means outstanding performance on a test of problem solving/critical thinking, or in problem-solving/critical thinking as documented by information from other sources.
Alternative Method for Identification
A district may apply to the Public Education Department to utilize an alternative protocol for all students. Eligibility of a student will then be determined by a properly administered and collected, department-approved alternative protocol designed to evaluate a student’s intellectual ability, subject matter aptitude/achievement, creativity/divergent thinking, and problem solving/critical thinking.