Gifted children need an education which will meet their intellectual capabilities. Their needs are just as important as those of a struggling child. If a gifted child is bored at school, it can hinder his ability to excel or even cause him to drop out or fail because nothing grabs his attention or seems worthwhile. For these reasons, gifted children are equally in need of specially designed instruction.
ACFE works to provide qualified children with challenging curriculum by negotiating with the School District to provide more effective plans and specialized programmings.
In order to determine whether a child is gifted, a Gifted Multidisciplinary Evaluation is conducted. This evaluation is not a simple calculation of IQ; various other factors are included to determine level of intelligence. If a child meets the gifted criteria, they are entitled to a Gifted Individualized Education Plan (GIEP). ACFE will assist the parents when they meet with the school district discuss the goals and programs that should be implemented.
For more information concerning the criteria used to determine whether a student is gifted, including evaluation techniques and procedures, as well as gifted education plans and procedural guidelines, please click here to visit the PA Code Chapter 16: Special Education for Gifted Students.
Can my child be accelerated by a subject or grade?
Yes, depending on various criteria like ability levels, achievement and at times school policy. Most commonly the IOWA Acceleration Scale is used as a team discussion to make a determination.
22 PA Code ยง 16.2(2)Gifted Education to each gifted student which is based on the unique needs of the student, not solely on the student’s classification.
Please note each state has different regulations and qualifiers for gifted education.