TESTING AND MIDDLE SCHOOL PLACEMENTS
The middle school placement process takes place generally in early February after receipt of the test scores by the elementary schools. There is a placement team who makes the recommendations of the current fifth grade students for placement in the G/T content classes in middle school. The G/T content area classes are G/T English, G/T Math, G/T Social Studies, and G/T Science. The elementary placement team consists of the G/T resource teachers, the fifth grade classroom teachers, the guidance counselor, special education teacher, and administrators. Our recommendations are data driven. This means the team will look at report card grades, test scores on standardized tests such as MSA, and ability tests such as the COGAT, MAP test data, participation in G/T enrichment units, current classroom performance, and other such data. Every student is articulated in the process and recommendations are mailed home. There is also a process by which a parent can request a placement review for further consideration. That process begins with a written letter requesting that the team consider recommending a student for one or more G/T content classes with supporting documentation. Because there is always a timeline in place by which decisions must be made on the school level, it is very important that parents follow the procedures for requesting placement reviews, which means submitting request by the stated due date. All of that information is posted in the school newsletters during that time frame. We will also keep those dates posted on the website under current news.