ELIGIBILITY

The Pennsylvania Department of Education defines mentally gifted as: -Outstanding intellectual and creative ability the development of which requires special services and programs not ordinarily provided in the regular education program. This term includes a person who has an IQ of 130 or higher and when multiple criteria as set forth in Department Guidelines indicated gifted ability. Determination of gifted ability will not be based on IQ score alone. A person with an IQ score lower than 130 may be admitted to gifted programs when other educational criteria in the profile of the person strongly indicate gifted ability. Determination of mentally gifted shall include a full assessment and comprehensive report by a public school psychologist specifying the nature and degree of the ability. 22PA Code Chapter 342 L-S utilizes a screening and identification process. Teachers, parents, school counselors, a school psychologist, administrators, and other individuals at the parents’ request are involved in the process. The process includes: 1. Review of classroom performance and school records 2. Use of rating scales and parental input 3. Evaluation by school psychologist and multidisciplinary evaluation. All students in the gifted education program demonstrate a need for specialized instruction.