We Moved Districts.
Will My Child Keep GT Services?
Parents sometimes contact us and ask: after my family moves to a new school district, will my child continue to receive GT services?
The answer depends on the decisions and policies of the new school district, but we can provide you with information to help you understand the process.
How Students Qualify for GT Services in Texas: Varies from District to District
Texas school districts have the freedom to decide what their gifted education programs look like. GT programs do have to follow Texas laws and regulations, including the Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented Students, which set out some basic standards – for example, all districts must offer GT services to students in grades K-12 in the four core subjects (English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies), among other requirements.
Districts also have the freedom to decide which of their students need and will receive GT services (often called “identifying for services”), within certain parameters. When making these decisions, districts must:
- Make sure that any forms families must complete are “in a language and form that the families understand, or a translator or interpreter is provided to the extent possible” (State Plan 2.3);
- Assess students “in languages they understand or with nonverbal assessments” (State Plan 2.19);
- Include data from “multiple sources for each area of giftedness served by the district” (State Plan 2.17);
- Collect data from “three (3) or more measures” to make a decision, and in grades 1-12, include both “qualitative” data (data not represented by numbers, such as interviews or observations) and “quantitative data” (data represented by numbers) (State Plan 2.22);
- Make sure the “assessment process allows for student exceptionalities to the extent possible” (State Plan 2.17) (this can include the needs of students with disabilities);
- Allow all students to be considered for GT services “at least once per school year” (State Plan 2.15); and
- Allow “parents, students, and educators to appeal placement decisions in a timely manner and to present new data, if appropriate” (State Plan 2.13).
Districts can choose which sources of information they will use in gathering data for decisions, and they can decide how to interpret data. This means that neighboring school districts may give students different tests, or if they use the same test, each district might decide to look for a different score when determining which students need that district’s services.
Why Isn’t There Consistency Statewide?
That is a great question! There is a valid argument that students should be able to expect to continue receiving GT services when they move districts within the same state, especially since all Texas districts follow the same state laws. Since gifted education programs can look very different in different Texas districts, however, and since districts are supposed to base the identification process on the actual services they offer, Texas gives districts flexibility in deciding which students need those services. An FAQ from the National Association of Gifted Children shares details on the types of services districts may choose to offer. Districts should choose the type of services they offer based on the needs of the students in their local schools.
How Are Transfer Students Handled?
Districts must follow a few rules in considering transfer students for GT services:
- Transfer students must be “properly assessed and appropriately placed” in GT services following “notification of enrollment” (State Plan 2.8), and
- The student’s former district must provide the new district with “the student’s assessment data” (State Plan 2.9).
Since identification for Texas GT services is specific to each district, the new district’s policy determines whether a student receives GT services in the new district. In some cases, when a student was identified for GT services in the former district, the new district’s policy may allow the student to continue GT services in the new district without gathering new data. In other cases, students are reassessed using the new district’s usual process.
What If My Child Doesn’t Qualify Now?
If your child received GT services previously and if they are not identified in their new district, parents have the same appeal and annual reassessment options as families that have already been living in the district. GEFN also strongly encourages families to look outside of school for enrichment and support for their children, in addition to advocating for their children’s needs in school.
ALL families of students with advanced learning needs are welcome to become GEFN members, regardless of GT identification in school! Our organization works to remove barriers and to make information and resources available to all families, regardless of socioeconomic status. You are your child’s best advocate, and we are here for you. We hope you’ll join us.
Suggestions for future post topics? Write us at giftededucationfamilynetwork@gmail.com!
This resource is provided for general information purposes, does not constitute legal advice, is not intended as and should not be interpreted as legal advice, and does not establish an attorney-client relationship.
Gifted Education Family Network 