Manatee County Gifted Education

There are painters who transform the sun to a yellow spot.  There are others who, with the help of their art and intelligence, transform a yellow spot into sun.  Pablo Picasso

Services for Gifted students (K-12) in the Manatee County School District support a positive learning experience that encourages academic accomplishment, critical and creative thinking, independence, responsibility, and leadership. Inventive and innovative thinking, imaginative and intuitive insight, and challenging exploration are not only encouraged in our schools, but celebrated.

Gifted Identification and Eligibility

Gifted students often demonstrate exceptional achievement, aptitude, performance interests, and motivation to learn.

Steps to identification include:

• Contacting the Guidance Counselor at the school
• Submitting  nomination form
• Screening and evaluation by Child Study Team

Eligibility requirements include:

• Demonstrated need for program
• Evidence of majority of characteristics of Gifted students from state-approved checklist
• 130 score on an intelligence test administered by a licensed psychologist

Gifted Services

Gifted services are based on the needs of the individual Gifted student. To ensure that the strengths and needs of the student are met, an Education Plan (State Rule 6A-6.030191) is developed to consider academic areas of strength, individual pursuits, standardized test scores, and classroom performance. At all grade levels (K-12), students may be serviced through a consultation model to ensure needs are recognized and met.

Gifted services provided include:

• Elementary School--designated school classroom or attendance at another school for one or two days a week for a particular Gifted program
• Middle School--specific content area class or elective Gifted class
• High School--range of services as guided by the state

Dr. Sherry Lawrence,
Fine & Performing Arts and Gifted Specialist
lawrencs@manateeschools.net

The Florida Frameworks for K-12 Gifted Learners
http://etc.usf.edu/flstandards/sss/frameworks.pdf

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