Dimensions - how to qualify
How to Qualify
DEFINITION
South Carolina's Department of Education defines gifted and talented students as those who are identified in grades one through twelve as demonstrating high performance ability or potential in academic and/or artistic areas. These students require an educational program beyond what is normally provided by the general school program in order to achieve their potential.
HOW DOES A STUDENT QUALIFY TO RECEIVE GIFTED AND TALENTED SERVICES IN SC?
At the start of each academic year, Orangeburg County Schools begins the screening and identification process. In order to be identified as academically gifted and talented in South Carolina, students must have a composite aptitude (reasoning ability) score at or above the 96th national age percentile OR meet two out of three dimensions of eligibility: aptitude (reasoning ability), academic achievement, or intellectual/academic performance.
Outlined below are the different dimensions to determine a student’s eligibility to receive GATE services (SC Regulation 43-220):
Dimension A: Reasoning Abilities
Score at the 96th national percentile or above on the composite (total) score of a state-approved aptitude test to be fully identified OR score at or above the 93rd national age percentile score of a state-approved aptitude test in verbal, nonverbal, quantitative or total (composite) score in order to be partially identified.
Dimension B: Academic Achievement
To partially qualify in Dimension B, students must score at or above the 94th percentile in reading or mathematics on SC READY OR at or above the 94th percentile in reading or mathematics on a nationally-normed achievement test.
Dimension C: Intellectual/Academic Performance.
To partially qualify in Dimension C, students must have a minimum 3.75 GPA on a 4.0 GPA scale for rising 6th through 8th graders OR partially identified (Dimension A or B) rising 3rd – 6th grade students must receive one of the below scores on the SC Performance Task Assessment administered in February/March of every academic year in order to become fully identified:
Rising 3rd 16 on verbal or non-verbal
Rising 4th 18 on verbal or non-verbal
Rising 5th 16 on verbal or 22 on non-verbal
Rising 6th 18 on verbal or 25 on non-verbal
*Private testing results cannot be used to determine state GT eligibility. However, these results may be used to refer students for Dimension A testing in the fall.