January 25, 2000
Ms. Karen Layne
198 Eureka Road
Charleston, West Virginia 25314
Dear Ms. Layne,
You requested clarification regarding the identification of historically under-represented gifted students. Your question and the response of the Office of Special Education follows:
Question: If the assessment instruments discriminate against a student because the student belongs to an historically under-represented gifted population…could the eligibility committee find the student eligible based on only a verbal IQ score of 2.0 or more standard deviations above the mean with consideration of 1.0 standard error of measurement?
Response: Policy 2419: Regulations for the Education of Exceptional Students. § 126-16-4, 4.1.3, states, “If determined that the eligibility criteria and/or assessment instruments discriminate against a student because the student belongs to an historically under-represented gifted population, eligibility for gifted services shall be based upon criteria that complement the definition and eligibility for gifted as described in this policy.”
Research-based criteria that complement the definition must be included in the district’s revised special education policies and procedures, which must be submitted to the West Virginia Department of Education by March 1, 2000. To implement Policy 2419 in this case, the eligibility committee must consider all data gathered by the multi-disciplinary evaluation team and decide whether the student meets the eligibility criteria.
Considering either the cognitive verbal or performance score is only one way of complementing the definition for gifted eligibility. After reviewing the collection of data which may include, but is not limited to, individual achievement, group achievement, classroom performance, teacher input, student product(s) and parent input, the committee may determine that either the verbal or performance score is a better indicator of the student’s true cognitive ability. The school district should also consider the advisability of using another diagnostic instrument, which has been successful in identifying historically under-represented gifted students.
Ms. Karen Layne
January 25, 2000
Page 2
Thank you for your interest in gifted education and for your concern for the identification of an under-represented gifted population. If there are further question or if additional information is needed pertaining to gifted education, please contact Sherry Keffer, Coordinator, or me at 1-800-642-8541 or (304) 558-2696 (V/TDD).
Sincerely,
Dee Bodkins, Ed.D.
Director
Office of Special Education
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