Elementary Challenge Program
1150 Athens Tech Road• Elberton, GA 30635 • (706) 213-4600
 
     

 


What is the Challenge Program?

Challenge is the name given to Elbert County’s elementary gifted/talented program. It is designed to offer gifted and talented students an environment that will provide them with new and challenging learning experiences not ordinarily provided in the regular classroom. The program stresses higher-level thinking skills (inquiry, problem solving, creative thinking, etc.)
Students who qualify for the Challenge Program are pulled out of their regular classroom one day a week per grade level and are transported to Doves Creek School for gifted education.

Q: How are students referred for gifted services?

A: A student may be referred by any of the following persons:
• Teacher
• Parent
• Self
• Peer
• Automatic Referral (based on existing standardized test scores)

Once the referral has been made, the student is entered into the RTI (Response to Intervention) process in his/her regular classroom. The teacher will document whether or not the student can successfully complete regular classroom assignments as well as challenging assignments that are beyond classroom requirements. Monitoring of the student will continue for at least nine weeks. If the child successfully completes the advanced work given, the Eligibility Committee will meet to determine if further evaluation is warranted based upon all data collected.
One of two things will occur:

(1) If the committee determines that there is not enough evidence to warrant gifted evaluation at this time, the child should continue to receive differentiated instruction in the regular classroom.

(2) If the committee determines that further evaluation is in the best interest of the child, then the formal evaluation process will begin.

Q: When does testing for Challenge take place?

A: Testing windows for possible evaluation will be:

• At the beginning of the school year after the first nine weeks of school.
• At the beginning of the second semester.
• Spring (after CRCT scores are received.)

 Q: How do students qualify for Gifted services?

A: Students may be eligible for this program by meeting three out of four of the following criteria:

• Mental Ability: Students must score at or above the 96th percentile on a nationally-normed standardized test of mental ability (i.e. CoGAT, OLSAT.)
• Achievement: Students must score at or above the 90th percentile on the total battery, total math, or total reading section(s) of a standardized achievement test (i.e. ITBS.)
• Creativity: Students must score at or above the 90th percentile on the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking.
• Motivation: Students must score at or above the 90th percentile on the motivation section of the Gifted Rating Scale.

 

 

 

Karen Hardy and Renee Dove

 

Continuation Policy

Students must maintain no lower than a “B” average in their regular academic curriculum. If a student receives a “C” or below in any academic subject at the end of a semester, a parent/teacher conference will be held, and that student will be placed on probation for the following semester. If another “C” is made at the end of the next semester, that student is dismissed from the program for at least one year. In order for this student to re-enter the Gifted program, he must meet academic qualifications and be recommended by the Eligibility Committee.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

   

Federal law prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin (Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964); sex (Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 and the Perkins Act of 1998); or disability (Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990) in educational programs or activities receiving federal financial assistance.
Students, parents, employees and the general public are hereby notified that the Elbert County Board of Education does not discriminate in any educational programs or activities or in employment policies.

For Compliance Information Contact: Elbert County School District • 50 Laurel Drive• Elberton, GA 30635 • (706) 213-4000