Student Identification and Selection
Identification and Selection
The identification process for entry into Q.U.E.S.T. and/or E2 consists of three steps:
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Step 1: Pre-Screening |
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Q.U.E.S.T. |
E2 |
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Literacy Portfolio (K-5) |
End of the Year Math Test |
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Report Card Grades (6-8) |
Final Math Average |
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NJSLA Scores (3-8) |
NJSLA Scores |
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Renzulli-Hartman Scales |
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Step 2: Screening |
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Q.U.E.S.T. |
E2 |
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SAGES 2 |
TOMAGS (4-6) |
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Step 3: Selection |
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Q.U.E.S.T. |
E2 |
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Review of Data |
Review of Data |
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Parent Notification |
Parent Notification |
1. Pre-screening
All CPS students' math and language arts academic information will be reviewed. Those students who meet or exceed the Pre-screening Criteria will be eligible to be screened for entrance into the Gifted and Talented program - Q.U.E.S.T. and E2 (beginning in fifth grade). This review process will begin during the spring for entrance into the program for the following school year. Parents will be informed of their students' eligibility for screening. Written consent is required before screening/testing begins.
2. Screening - Assessment/Testing
Students seeking entrance into the G&T program will be formally evaluated using standardized tests designed to determine giftedness.
For entrance into Q.U.E.S.T., testing will be conducted to measure both ability and achievement. Ability testing measures students' reasoning and problem solving skills, while achievement testing measures students' academic level in content areas. In grades K-3 students are administered the SAGES 2 test in reasoning, language arts/social studies, and math/science. In grades 4-8 students are administered the SAGES 2 testing in reasoning and language arts/social studies.
The achievement portions of SAGES 2 in language arts/social studies and math/science require the student to respond to questions in a multiple-choice format. The content for these tests was drawn from current texts, professional literature, books, and the national standards in each of these areas. Items require recall, understanding, and application of ideas and basic concepts in these content areas. The ability portion of SAGES 2 requires the student to solve new problems by identifying relationships among figures and pictures. The items are presented in an analogy format. The student must recognize pictures of figures, deduce relationships, and then find other pictures or figures that relate to the stimulus in the same manner. A score of 130 or greater demonstrates that a student is very likely to be gifted.
At the end of third grade, for entrance into the formal E2 program students are administered the TOMAGS. The TOMAGS is correlated with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics standards and is designed to identify students who have talent or giftedness in mathematics. This test requires students to use mathematical reasoning and problem solving skills to understand how to communicate mathematically to solve problems. The TOMAGS is a standardized, norm-referenced test that utilizes open-ended responses rather than multiple-choice answers. The raw score is converted to a final standard score or quotient based on the child's age. A score between 121 and 130 shows mathematical strength. A score above 130 is considered to be exceptional.
3. Selection
Entrance into G&T programs is based on the following:
- Ability and Achievement test scores (NJSLA 3-8, SAGES2)
- Renzulli-Hartman Scales (leadership, learning, creativity, motivation)
- Report Card Grades (6-8)
- Math and Literacy Rubric Scores (K-5)
Acceptance into one component of the G&T program does not automatically qualify a student for entrance into both programs. However, a student may participate in Q.U.E.S.T. and E2 simultaneously after having met the entrance criteria for both programs.
The G&T committee convenes to review each screened student and uses both quantitative and qualitative data when making selections decisions. Parents are notified in writing of the committee's decisions. All decisions of the committee are final.
4. G&T Schedule
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Placement Schedule |
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Pre-Screening |
June |
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Screening/Testing |
Early September |
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Selection Meetings |
Early to mid-September |
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Parent Notification |
Mid to late September |