Fayette County Public Schools Gifted Program

What is the Fayette County Public Schools Gifted Program?

Fayette County Public Schools in Fayetteville, GA’s Gifted Program offer services specifically designed for academically talented students in grades K-12. Fayette County’s programs for exceptional learners extends the standard curriculum and provides challenges and rigorous learning opportunities for gifted students. The program proceeds at a pace that helps develop gifted students’ critical and creative faculties and ability to practically apply knowledge.

Further Information about the Fayette County Public Schools Gifted Program

The Gifted Program takes the form of a resource model in which students are scheduled for gifted classes once a week for an entire day, or twice a week for a full morning and full afternoon. Students participate in theri regular classes when not receiving gifted services. Gifted students in grades 6-12 study their specific areas of academic interest and strength, and are taught by endorsed specialist teachers. For students in grades K-5, the Gifted Program provides an interdisciplinary program that allows them to explore complex questions and thematic issues, and develop research and communication skills.

In grades 6-12, the Gifted Program involves advanced content area classes which are quantitatively and qualitatively unique from regular curriculum classes, involving the development of rigorous critical thinking skills and in some instances, required summer reading.

Eligibility for the Fayette County Public Schools Gifted Program

Students may also be referred to the program by teachers, counselors, parents, administrators, or themselves. Children proceed to be evaluated for giftedness on the basis of system-wide or schoolwide testing. The two testing windows for the academic year include one beginning September and October, and a second beginning in March. In the first and fourth grades, the school conducts automatic screening using the CoGat screener. If the child’s score meets our cut score of the 60th percentile, the school proceeds (given parental permission) to follow through with the gifted evaluation process. Fayette County schools use the CogAt as the main identifying measure for Mental Ability and the ITBS for Achievement.

In order to qualify for the Gifted Program, students must meet the state requirements on the basis of one of two of the following options, with percentile scores based on the Cognitive Abilities (CogAt) test.

Option A: Students must meet both requirements

Grades K-2:

1. Mental Ability: 99th percentile composite
2. Achievement 90th percentile or higher in total Math, Total Reading, or Composite score.

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: Students must meet three of the four below requirements

Students in grades K-12

1. Mental Ability: 96th percentile or better in Composite, Verbal, Non-Verbal or Quantitative
2. Achievement: 90th percentile or higher in Total Math, Total Reading, or Composite
   (Core)
3. Motivation: Grades K-5: 90th percentile or higher 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

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