In order to achieve their full potential, gifted students need the support of unique programming designed to meet their needs.  This programming may include a variety of different strategies designed to address both the academic and social/ emotional needs of gifted students.

Begin by talking with the gifted teacher or building designee at your child’s DPS school. They will be able to answer your questions about the identification process. See the Identification section for additional information about the required pieces of information needed for gifted identification.

Students may be identified in three categories: Academic Aptitude, Specific Talent Aptitude, or General Intellectual Ability.  Academic areas include:  reading, writing, math, science, social studies and world language. Talent aptitude encompasses visual and performing arts, music, dance, psychomotor, creativity and leadership.  Students may be identified in more than one area.  Please visit the identification tab to find out more.

Ability testing allows the student to demonstrate their potential to think and reason in a way that is not captured on grade level achievement tests. It is a critical component for the identification gifted learners because it is a student’s advanced ability that requires accommodations in the classroom.

Cognitive tests are not tests that can or should be studied for. However, should your child participate in testing, you will receive an “Intent to Test” letter prior to the testing date. You can inform your child that the test is taking place and prepare them through adequate sleep and a healthy breakfast.

Watch the NNAT2 PowerPoint presentation here.

The purpose of this presentation is to help parents understand the NNAT2 assessment given to their children in Kindergarten and 2nd grade as part Denver Public Schools universal screening for gifted and talented identification/programming

No. These scores are part of information gathered for a body of evidence. This means that one test score alone does not qualify a child. Please review the identification tab for more information.

GT identified students are those students performing well beyond their age mates and within the top fifth percentile in both ability and achievement areas. GT students require modifications in their academic strength area in order to realize their full potential as well as social and emotional support. These modifications are made together with the GT and classroom teachers at the child’s school of attendance.

Students who are in need of magnet level services (HGT) are students who need full time, intensive services delivered by highly qualified gifted teachers beyond what can be offered at traditional schools. These students comprise 1-3 percent of the total population. HGT students are identified as highly gifted with a cognitive score that is 98%ile or above and a body of evidence that supports the need for full time gifted and talented services.

No. There are Gifted Education teachers in every K-5, K-8 or 6-8 building and GT points of contact at DPS Charter schools who are there to support classroom teachers in making sure your child’s learning needs are addressed.   Your child will receive an Advanced Learning Plan each year to support their growth in their area of strength.

Your child only needs to leave his/her school if you feel that his/her needs are not able to be addressed in your current school. You will want to talk with your child to determine if s/he is challenged, learning something new every day, has a group of peers with whom s/he can relate and is generally happy at school. If the answers to these questions are “yes,” there may be no need to make a change. However, if the answer to one or more of these questions is “no,” then you may want to consider “choicing in” to one of the magnet sites. At a magnet site, the teachers have training and experience in working with highly gifted students. The teachers make accommodations in their curriculum for advanced learners and have other students with similar learning needs. Highly gifted students make up only 1-3 percent of the total population so finding like peers and others needing the same level of academic challenge in a traditional school is highly unlikely, which is why DPS offers magnet schools.

No. In order to assure equity of opportunity, the district uses only IQ assessments that have been administered by a school or school district. If you have data from a private assessment you are welcome to submit it as part of a body of evidence, however it cannot be used in place of district-administered qualifying data.

Please submit all documents including any achievement and ability test results from your prior district/state to your school’s GT Teacher or designated point of contact. The Central Identification Team will review all documentation to assure alignment with the state of Colorado’s identification criteria.

If you are in the process of moving to Denver, please reach out to the Gifted and Talented Department for guidance regarding potential placement options for your student.

It is the goal of  DPS  to provide all of our students with appropriate academic services. When there is a disagreement on matters pertaining to the identification, evaluation and eligibility for gifted services the District Resolution Dispute Process may be initiated.

Written appeals based on one of the following criteria will be considered:

• A condition or circumstance believed to have caused a misinterpretation of the testing results and or district data included in the body of evidence (for example, an incorrect birth date or grade level used in calculation of the student’s score).
• An extraordinary circumstance occurred during the testing period that may negatively affect the validity of the test results such as a death in the family or extreme physical ailment.
• The suspicion of an error in the administration of the assessment.  For example: The designated proctor did not follow assessment prescribed protocols.  Testing day or time of assessment within the school day are not considered to be errors in administration.
• A misapplication or miscalculation of the scores by the selection committee.
• Outside testing will not be considered as a reason for appeal.

Written appeals must include your name, address, phone number, email, the student’s name, date of birth, school of attendance, and a reason for the appeal based on the above criteria.  Appeals must be completed and received in the district office within ten (10) business days following the notification of identification decision. Please send appeals to:  Attention: Appeal Review Team Gifted and Talented Department/  1860 Lincoln Street 8th Floor NE /  Denver, CO 80203

All appeals will go before the Appeal Review Team, and you will be notified of the decision by email. The team may contact you for additional information if necessary.

The decision of the Appeal Review Team is final.

There are many wonderful resources for families to learn more about giftedness and supporting your child. These links are provided as a source of general information on giftedness.  Please note this is not an exhaustive list and many additional resources are available.

• SENG is a website to promote understanding and support for the social emotional needs of gifted children.
• The NAGC (National Association for Gifted Children) website is a site for general information about giftedness.
• CAGT is the website for our Colorado Association for Gifted and Talented.
• Hoagies’ Gifted Education has a wealth of information and resources for parents.

Please click the link below for a detailed description of academic terms related to gifted education: Glossary of Gifted Terms