What does it mean for a student to be identified for gifted and talented services?

A gifted/talented student performs at or shows the potential for performing at a remarkably high level of accomplishment when compared to others of the same age, experience, or environment. 

Gifted students:

• exhibit high performance capability in an intellectual, creative, or artistic area;
• possess an unusual capacity for leadership; or
• excel in a specific academic field. (Texas Education Code §29.121)

SBISD has developed an identification process to efficiently assess a student's need for the special educational services provided in the Gifted and Talented Program. This process is designed to be student-centered and collect a preponderance of data to determine if a student is in need of gifted services.  

The deadline to submit a GT referral for the 2024-2025 school year has past. *If your child transfers to SBISD after the close of the referral window, please refer to the "New-to-SBISD Students" G/T Referral Process (under the Referral Events section of this webpage).

Please scroll down to the Referral Events section to find the appropriate referral link for your child.

SBISD Referral Window (for SBISD Students Only):

The SBISD Referral Window is for students attending classes on an SBISD campus and is open each year from the start of the school year through mid-October.  During the referral window, please, complete an online referral to initiate the evaluation process.  Referrals can be submitted for Kindergarten - 11th grade students; students can be evaluated annually. When submitting a GT referral online, please only click one time when submitting the referral (double-clicking causes multiple referrals to populate in our system).  If you do not receive a confirmation email within 24 hours, please check with your campus counselor to confirm that the referral is in our system.

Note:  The regular referral link may appear broken outside of the referral window and submissions are time-stamped.  Likewise, this link will not work for students who are not currently enrolled in SBISD.

Referral Link for SBISD students ONLY*:  online referral form (español - Tiếng Việt)

"New-to-SBISD Students" G/T Referral Process:
SBISD has two referral links for transfer students; please read carefully to determine which referral is appropriate for your child.

1) Students that Previously Received Gifted Services:
Prior to completing your G/T referral, please email your child's name, birthdate, and current grade level, along with G/T test records from the previous district confirming your child's G/T status.  The Advanced Academics office will review your child's records and contact you to let you know that the platform is ready for your child's transfer referral (Note:  If you try submitting a transfer referral before we create your child's profile, the transfer referral will not submit correctly).  Once your child's profile has been created, please complete the transfer referral form (español) at the time your child is transferring into SBISD (If your child will transfer to the district at the beginning of the school year, please complete the transfer referral anytime after Spring Break).

2) Students that have NOT Previously Received Gifted Services:
If your child is transferring to SBISD from out-of-state, home-school, or from a private school where gifted services were not available, please, use this option to refer your child for G/T consideration at SBISD.  You will be able to submit any previous testing you have for your child, or if you have no previous records, that is also okay.  The Advanced Academics office will review any records and contact you with next steps.  For Option 2, please complete the the Off-Cycle Parent Referral form (Note:  This referral link is open only between late March and mid-August and is inactive during the regular school year).  We do our best to properly assess and place your child for the up-coming school year.