A program may have some combination of the following: acceleration of content, differentiated curriculum, enrichment activities with depth and complexity, investigative projects, and academic competitions. Delivery of services may be through flexible grouping, cross-grade grouping, independent study, accelerated courses, and curriculum compacting.

Services will be available at each grade level in the school and will strive to enable underachieving students to live up to their potential.

Gifted/talented services will be described in each school's Strategic Plan (SCIP). Criteria for evaluation of plans will include criteria of the gifted/talented services component.

Identification of Elementary Students for Gifted Services

Saint Paul Public Schools uses a test called the Naglieri Non-verbal Ability Test (NNAT) to identify students who are eligible for gifted services within the school district. The NNAT also determines a student's eligibility to apply to Capitol Hill Gifted and Talented Magnet School. Gifted Services provides challenging and fast-paced learning programs for students who have the ability to do work at a level above what is expected at their grade in school.

All Saint Paul Public Schools students in kindergarten and second grade who attend Saint Paul Public Schools will take the NNAT for one hour on one day at their school during January. Students in grades 1, 3, 4 and 5 may also be selected to take the test based on their need for gifted services.

The school district is also offering special testing sessions in January for students who live in Saint Paul and attend private, parochial, charter, and home schools.

Families are notified of final results before the school choice deadline in March.

For up-to-date information about Gifted Services in Saint Paul Public Schools, click here.