1. (a)

   1. (1) The process for identifying students has several stages.
   2. (2) Nominations are sought from a wide variety of sources to ensure that all potentially gifted and talented students have an opportunity to be considered.
   3. (3) Data are collected on the nominated students to aid in making decisions for selection of students who are in need of special education services.
   4. (4) Placement of students is made in an appropriate program option.

2. (b) Identification procedures are:

   1. (1) Clearly stated;
   2. (2) Uniformly implemented; and
   3. (3) Communicated to the entire school staff.

3. (c)

   1. (1) A committee of at least five (5) members chaired by a trained specialist in gifted education and including administrators, teachers, and/or counselors:

      1. (A) Collects and analyzes data;
      2. (B) Maintains appropriate records; and
      3. (C) Makes professional decisions on placement of students.

   2. (2) This committee can be:

      1. (A) Per-campus within the district; and/or
      2. (B) District-level with representatives of each campus involved.

4. (d)

   1. (1) The identification process yields information obtained:

      1. (A) Through a variety of procedures; and
      2. (B) From multiple independent sources.

   2. (2) Procedures for obtaining information about students include at least two (2) objective assessment methods such as group and individual tests of:

      1. (A) Ability;
      2. (B) Achievement; and
      3. (C) Creativity.

   3. (3) Procedures for obtaining information about students include at least two (2) subjective assessment methods such as:

      1. (A) Checklists;
      2. (B) Rating scales;
      3. (C) Biographical data;
      4. (D) Product evaluations;
      5. (E) Auditions;
      6. (F) Interviews; and
      7. (G) Grades.

   4. (4) Information about students is obtained from multiple sources, which may include:

      1. (A) Teachers;
      2. (B) Counselors;
      3. (C) Parents;
      4. (D) Community members;
      5. (E) Peers; and
      6. (F) Students themselves.

5. (e)

   1. (1) Student placement decisions are based on multiple criteria.
   2. (2) No single criterion or cutoff score is used to include or exclude a student.

6. (f) Procedures used in the identification process are nondiscriminatory with respect to:

   1. (1) Race;
   2. (2) Cultural or economic background;
   3. (3) Religion;
   4. (4) National origin;
   5. (5) Sex; or
   6. (6) Handicapping condition.
7. (g) Instructionally useful information about individual students obtained during the identification process is communicated to the appropriate members of the instructional staff regardless of final placement.

8. (h)

   1. (1) Written identification and placement procedures include parental involvement.
   2. (2) Parents grant permission for individual testing.
   3. (3) Parents are informed of the criteria for placement in a program for the gifted.
   4. (4) Parents give written permission for the child’s participation in the gifted program.
   5. (5) Parents may appeal a placement with which they disagree.

9. (i)

   1. (1) Identification of gifted and talented students is an ongoing process extending from school entry through grade twelve (12).
   2. (2) Opportunities are provided for students to be considered for placement in gifted and talented programs throughout their school experience.
   3. (3) A review of students’ placement in the gifted and talented program is made at least annually.
   4. (4) Written policies for exit from a program are developed and implemented.
   5. (5) Records of placement decisions and data on all nominated students are kept on file for a minimum of five (5) years or for as long as needed for educational decisions.

Codification Notes: This section as promulgated prior to codification into the Code of Arkansas Rules contained the following at the beginning of the section: "(see page 17-19)".