GT Referral and Screening Process
All campuses in Austin ISD offer Gifted and Talented screening in grades K-12 based on referrals received by the Campus GT Advocate. The calendar has the referral window and screening activities.
Students may be identified in one or more of the following areas:
- GT STEM (science and mathematics),
- GT Humanities (language arts and social studies),
- Talent Explore STEM (science and mathematics), or
- Talent Explore Humanities (language arts and social studies).
Qualitative and quantitative measures are collected. Qualitative measures include a Parent Observation Form, Teacher Observation Form, and a student work sample completed at school. The quantitative measure is a standardized assessment.
The Parent Observation Form needs to be completed and signed to provide permission for the student to complete the screening process. The form must be submitted to the Campus GT Advocate during the Student GT Referral Window.
GT Transfers
Transferring GT status within Austin ISD
If a GT student transfers from one Austin ISD campus to another, the student’s area(s) for GT status will be retained once the student is officially enrolled at the new school.
Returning to Austin ISD after leaving the district
If an Austin ISD student leaves the district and then returns to the district, GT status will be reinstated. The parent/guardian of the student must contact Advanced Academics at 512-414-0139 to verify the student is eligible to participate in the district GT program. Additional documentation may be required.
Requesting GT status in Austin ISD from out-of-district
- Placement in the Austin ISD GT program is not automatic for students identified as GT outside of Austin ISD. Students must be enrolled in Austin ISD.
- Parents/guardians complete the district’s Out-of-District Transfer Review Form.
- The Advanced Academics team will complete the transfer review process within 15 business days of receiving student records from the parent/guardian and the student's enrollment in Austin ISD.
- A transfer recommendation will be provided to the campus GT Decision-making Committee to determine if placement in the GT program is appropriate.
- The committee shall make its determination and notify the parents within 15 business days of receiving the district’s recommendation regarding GT placement and whether additional screening criteria needs to be collected.
Austin ISD Elementary GT Services
Elementary GT services include instruction by a teacher with the appropriate GT Foundations training within a cluster grouping model (small group of identified GT students within the general education classroom) which allows opportunities for curricular tasks that include greater depth, complexity, and pacing while working independently, with other GT students, and with students not identified. Parents/guardians of identified GT students at the elementary level should expect a GT Student Services Summary each semester completed by the teacher or another form of documentation of the academic options provided. Academic options provided vary based on campus and teacher decisions.
Austin ISD Secondary GT Services
Secondary GT services include instruction by a teacher with the appropriate GT Foundations training and any required specialized training in the following options:
- Pre-AP,
- Advanced Placement,
- Magnet (requires admission to magnet),
- International Baccalaureate (requires admission to IB),
- Dual Credit (requires passing TSI score), or
- Advanced-level CTE courses.
Acceleration provides GT students with a choice of concentrating on their strengths or interests through the selection of at least one course in the GT interdisciplinary strands of STEM and/or Humanities for which they are identified each school year. Academic options provided vary based on campus decisions.