Instructional Philosophy

Gifted services in HCSD address state curriculum standards while providing differentiated educational opportunities based on the assessed advanced learning needs of students with gifts and talents. There is a distinct movement away from “one-size-fits-all” gifted curriculum and toward comprehensive programming options tailored to the individual student’s strengths and interests.

 Nomination Process

Nomination for consideration may be made by classroom teachers, special area teachers, counselors, administrators, parents or guardians, students’ peers, the student himself/ herself or any other responsible individual who has knowledge of a student’s intellectual ability. Individuals who wish to nominate students for consideration should contact the school’s SEARCH teacher for a nomination packet. The Eligibility Team will make the final determination on whether a student will be recommended to be tested for SEARCH based on evidence presented. Automatic referrals are based on the student’s Georgia milestones scores and/or MAP scores.

School Year 2024-2025 – Testing Timeline
Nominations submitted for grades 1-5 testing	September 9th – October 4th
Testing Window for grades 1-5	November 4th through December 16th
Nominations submitted for Kindergarten	February 10th – March 3rd
Testing Window for Kindergarten	March 24th through May 5th
Nominations may be taken at any time throughout the school year. However, if a nomination is submitted after the Eligibility Team meets for SEARCH testing referrals, the student will be looked at the following school year by school’s Eligibility Team.

DETERMINING ELIGIBILITY FOR GIFTED SERVICES

After a referral and data have been collected in all four eligibility categories: mental ability, achievement, creativity, and motivation, an Eligibility Team will carefully review all data to make an eligibility decision. A school’s Eligibility Team is comprised of gifted endorsed teachers and administrators. In keeping with SBOE Rule 160-4-2-.38, a student must meet eligibility criteria in one of two ways: 1) qualify through a multiple-criteria assessment process by meeting criteria in any three of the four eligibility categories; or 2) score at the 99th percentile (for grades K-2) or the 96th percentile (for grades 3-12) on the composite or full scale score of a standardized test of mental ability* and meet one of the achievement criteria. (* An approved mental abilities test or an achievement test from an outside source may be accepted as part of a student’s eligibility data.)

Students who have been determined eligible for gifted education services in any public school system in Georgia will automatically be eligible for services in the Hall County School District once documentation of service in the former school district has been received.

Instructional Delivery Models

To meet the diverse needs of gifted learners, HCSD uses a variety of instructional delivery models, approved by the SBOE and described in the Georgia Department of Education Resource Manual for Gifted Education Services. Please contact your local school for specific information about available gifted education services.

Elementary Program Goals

SEARCH (Seeking Excellence and Reaching Challenging Heights) Program instruction at all levels focuses on five broad goals:

1. Gifted students will develop advanced research skills and methods through in-depth learning of self-selected topics within the area of study;
2. Gifted students will develop and practice creative thinking and creative problem-solving skills with a variety of complex topics within the area of study;
3. Gifted students will develop and practice critical thinking and logical problem-solving skills in the pertinent academic area;
4. Gifted students will develop advanced communication skills as they use a variety of techniques, materials, and formats in the development of products that will be shared with real audiences;
5. Gifted students will develop an understanding of self and how their unique characteristics may influence interactions with others.

Contacts:

 If you have questions, please contact your school’s SEARCH teacher.

You may also contact:

• Michele Hood, Director of Innovative and Advanced Programs (Michele.Hood@hallco.org)
• Leigh Brown, Elementary Gifted Coordinator (Leigh.Brown@hallco.org)