Definitions of highly gifted can vary. Since we are a public California school, we abide by our Legislature’s definition:
“a gifted and talented pupil who has achieved a measured intelligence quotient of 150 or more points on an assessment of intelligence administered by qualified personnel or has demonstrated extraordinary aptitude and achievement in language arts, mathematics, science, or other academic subjects, as evaluated and confirmed by both the pupil's teacher and principal. Highly gifted pupils shall generally constitute not more than 1 percent of the pupil population.” Education Code Sec. 52201(b)
You must get your child tested. The simplest way to get your child tested in to contact your LAUSD home school for the appropriate grade and ask to speak with the GATE or Gifted and Talented Coordinator. That coordinator will tell you what materials you need to provide in order to have your child assessed by LAUSD. Whether your child is in a public school, private school or home school, you need to request testing from your LAUSD home school.
You may also get your child tested privately through a licensed psychologist. However, in order to qualify for admission, your child must be tested by LAUSD.
Because so few children actually meet this criteria, beginning in 2008, LAUSD allows for children who have achieved a score of 99.5% or above to apply and to be admitted to the magnet after all applicants at the 99.9 percentile are accepted and if space is still available.
San Jose Highly Gifted Magnet Center is part of the magnet program of LAUSD to facilitate integration. To obtain enrollment to any magnet, a parent must receive and return a “CHOICES” magnet application, available from LAUSD. If your child is already a student in LAUSD, you should receive the Choices Brochure in the mail in approximately November of each year. If your child is enrolled in a private or home school, you should contact your home school to obtain the brochure.
Recently, San Jose Highly Gifted Magnet has been able to accept students throughout the entire school year. Therefore, if you are interested, you should contact the school office at 818-365-3218.
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Here are some websites that can provide you with some additional information about highly gifted children and their educational needs.
The Davidson Institute's Article, "A Place to Start:: Is My Child Highly Gifted?"
Are We Failing Our Geniuses? Time Magazine, August 16, 2007
California Association for the Gifted
National Association for Gifted Children
Hoagies' Gifted Education Page: "Exceptionally and Profoundly Gifted: An Underserved Population"
Vulnerabilities of highly gifted children by W. Roedell, Source: Roeper Review, The Roeper School 1984 Vol. 6, No. 3, pp. 127-130
"Gifted Defined," The Rhode Island Island Advocates for Gifted Education