Lee County Schools utilizes universal screening so that all students have an opportunity to demonstrate their potential need for gifted services.

Through the 2022-2023 school year, Lee County Schools will test all 3rd grade students using the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT). 

During the 2022-2023 school year and beyond, Lee County Schools will test all 2nd grade students using the Naglieri General Abilities Test (NGAT).

Scoring in a particular percentile on the CogAT or the NGAT is not necessarily a requirement for a student being identified as gifted; students may be identified based on other criteria (e.g. EOG scores, other testing, classroom artifacts). However, certain scores on the CogAT or the NGAT may make a student eligible for identification as academically and/or intellectually gifted. Students may be tested again at any time between 4th grade and 8th grade if their school AIG Team receives a referral for that student to be re-evaluated for AIG identification. 

Here are some links for more information:

• Please refer to the current district AIG plan for details on how students may be identified. 

A referral for a student to be evaluated for gifted services may be made at any point during the school year for any student at any grade level beginning as early as third grade. Referrals may be made by staff members (teachers, administrators, counselors, etc.), parents/guardians, or by students themselves (a self-nomination). Referrals can be made to the school principal or to the school AIG Specialist or Lead Contact Teacher in writing, and the referral will be presented to the school’s AIG Team. AIG Team decisions may be made at any point during the school year, as the need arises. A referral to the AIG Team does not guarantee that a student will be tested or that they will qualify for AIG services. The following steps outline the process of how a school AIG Team will process a referral. 

1. The AIG Specialist or AIG Lead Contact Teacher will compile currently-available data and present the referred student to the school AIG Team for review. 

2. The AIG Team decides if additional testing or other data is needed. 

3. If needed, additional student data is collected and compiled for the school’s AIG Team to review by the end of 3rd quarter.  

4. The AIG Specialist or AIG Lead Contact Teacher will complete a Summary of Student Eligibility form for the student. 

5. The AIG Team evaluates student data and decides whether a student qualifies based on the established identification criteria. The goal is for all AIG identification decisions to be made by the AIG Team by the end of the school year.

6. A conference is held with the parent/guardian to explain the AIG Team’s decision. Students who do not qualify for identification may still participate in the talent development program and are eligible to be re-evaluated during the next year.