Gifted
Susquehanna Community School District
Special Education Department
Gifted Education
Susquehanna Community School District is committed to providing support services to students determined to be eligible for gifted education through a multidisciplinary evaluation process.
Referral Process
School staff may refer a student to the Response to Intensive Intervention (RTII) team to consider the student’s performance and academic achievements for a gifted screening or evaluation. Student performance on local assessments, formative and summative assessments, skill acquisition, and academic performance are considered by the team when making a referral for a gifted evaluation.
Susquehanna Community School District utilizes a gifted matrix screening coupled with a gifted identification matrix as a part of the multidisciplinary evaluation. The gifted screening matrix reviews a student’s PSSA scores, if applicable, classroom performance, student performance on a brief intelligence test, and teacher input on gifted rating scales. A minimum score is required to proceed to a gifted evaluation.
A permission to evaluate is sent to the family. Consent is required for the school team to proceed with a gifted evaluation. The gifted evaluation matrix includes classroom performance, standardized ability and achievement testing, and teacher input on gifted rating scales and rate of retention and acquisition scales. Student performance on both the screener and the evaluation matrices are weighted to determine student eligibility. Multiple criteria must be met in order to determine gifted eligibility.
Initiating a Gifted Evaluation
Families with questions regarding their child’s academic growth who believe their child may be gifted should contact the special education office to speak with the special education supervisor, Elizabeth Shivock.
Confidentiality of Student Records
Information collected on a gifted screening and/or gifted matrix includes personally identifiable information. These files become a part of the child’s school record and are protected under the school district’s Confidentiality of Special Education Student Information Policy (113.5), available on the school district’s website.
Gifted Education Supports
Susquehanna Community School District develops gifted programming individually for each student determined eligible for gifted support. These options include enrichment and/or acceleration based on the individual needs of the student. Direct support is provided 1:1 or in small groups. Extension activities occur in the general education environment.
For more information regarding gifted education and
the process of a gifted evaluation, please contact
Elizabeth Shivock, Special Education Supervisor
(570) 853-4921 x1335