Identification Process

The Identification Process

In Prince William County Public Schools, students may be found eligible for gifted services in General Intellectual Aptitude or in one or more Specific Intellectual Aptitudes (Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and/or History and Social Sciences).

Referrals

The identification process begins either through general screening procedures or through the referral of a student by a parent, teacher, school staff member, or a community member. Students may also refer themselves. Students can be referred in all grades K-12 and at any time during the school year.

A referral form can be obtained using the links below or from the gifted education resource teacher at your child's school.

Referral Form

Referral Form - English (PDF)

Referral Form - Spanish (PDF)

You can also refer a student by emailing the gifted program at [email protected] or by emailing the school's gifted education resource teacher.

Identification and Placement Process

The Identification and Placement process in Prince William County uses multiple criteria. An Identification and Placement Committee meeting will be held within 90 school days from the date that written parent permission is received to determine eligibility. The criteria evaluated in gifted education identification process include the following:

Assessment of student products or portfolios; student report
Parent observations
Teacher evaluation and observations
Aptitude and achievement test scores
Student academic record

Because identification criteria and services vary greatly among localities, transfer students who have been receiving gifted education services in other school divisions do not automatically receive services in Prince William County. The Gifted Education Resource Teacher will review the student's files, and Prince William County's formal identification process will be initiated. In appropriate cases, data required for identification will be collected and combined with data from the student's previous school. When enrolling, please notify the school of the student's identification for services in another locality.

After a decision is made regarding the student's eligibility and placement, parents will be notified in writing.

Appeals Process

Decisions made by the Identification and Placement (IDP) Committee may be appealed by parents, legal guardians or educational professionals within 10 instructional days of receiving notification of the committee's decision. The Appeals Committee meets virtually each month from August through June.

The Appeals Committee is chaired by the Supervisor of Gifted Education and is comprised of a panel of educational professionals who did not serve on the IDP Committee. Appeals appointments are scheduled for 30 minutes and are held virtually. During that time, the person initiating the appeal is responsible for presenting evidence that was not originally included in the student's identification profile. The evidence may include, but is not limited to, additional work samples, outside testing results, video/photo documentation, and anecdotal observations. Members of the Appeals Committee may also ask questions to gain further insight into the strengths of the student.

New evidence, along with the original information included in the identification profile, will be considered by the Appeals Committee in regard to identification, placement, and/or delivery of services. In some cases, additional data or information may be requested by the committee. Once a decision is rendered, the person initiating the appeal with be notified.

For more information about Gifted Education's appeals process, or to request an appeal, contact your school's gifted resource teacher.

Parent Guide

The video below provides detailed information about the gifted identification process in English and Spanish. Written transcripts of the video are provided in multiple languages.

Prince William County Public Schools