The Hart County System is committed to an educational program that recognizes the unique value, needs, and talents of the individual student.  The Gifted Services Program is designed to challenge the Hart County gifted students through a multidimensional teaching approach involving special criteria, enrichment, and the acceleration of course content.

Eligibility:   Students are evaluated in the areas of mental ability, achievement, creativity and motivation. Parent permission is obtained before a student is evaluated.  Students who make the required scores on these assessments qualify for the program. Parents are notified when students are eligible and must give permission for a student to begin receiving gifted services. Any test score used to establish a student's eligibility must be current within two years. A test score on a nationally normed test must be used to meet criteria in at least one area tested.

Gifted Delivery Models:  Schools may choose a multiple-menu of services based on considerations of (1) number of students and students needs, (2) facilities and resources at schools, and (3) human resources.

Grades K-5 may use a variety of state regulated models to meet the needs of gifted students (Resource, Cluster and/or Collaborative). Students will receive a minimum of five segments per week of gifted services.

Middle School:   For grades 6-8, gifted students will be served in selected core academic classes. 

High School:  Gifted students in grades 9-12 are scheduled into honors courses of core subjects taught by a teacher certified in gifted education. In addition, students may take Advanced Placement courses in English, Social Sciences, Science, Mathematics, and the Fine Arts.

Continuation Policy: The criteria for K - 3rd grade are (1) satisfactory performance in the Gifted Program. Students making a C in a core class will automatically place them on probation.

The criteria for 4th and 5th grade are: (1) satisfactory performance in the Gifted Program, (2) 90 – 100 numeric grade in each content area. Students making a C in a core class will automatically place them on probation.

• The criteria for 6th – 8th grade are:  maintain an 85 average in the gifted course(s) as well as an overall 85 average in all academic classes for each 9-week semester.
• The criteria for 9th – 12th grade are:  enrollment and successful completion of honors or AP classes per academic year.

Students failing to meet the continuation criteria are automatically placed on probation. Probation lasts for one grading period. Students who do not meet their Plan for Improvement goals(s) after one grading period on probation are withdrawn from the program and placed on inactive status. Parents are notified in writing prior to withdrawal. If withdrawn, a student may re-enter the program only once per school year. Students remaining inactive for one consecutive school year must be re-evaluated to determine continued eligibility.  Students previously identified as gifted in the state of Georgia who leave in good standing and later return may re-enter the program if initial eligibility can be verified.

Referral Process:  Students may be referred for the gifted program through school-wide testing or by parents, teachers, administrators or anyone with knowledge about the student and his/her performance.