Overview of the Application Process:

Qualified students are offered placement in the Academy as freshmen and on a space available basis as sophomores.  Parents/students must submit a completed application to the Office of the Gifted and Magnet Education by October 7^th.  Eligibility for the Liberal Arts Academy requires three pieces of documentation, two of which must be a 9^th stanine score (96% or higher) on both a nationally normed full scale mental ability by age and a total/partial battery of achievement tests.  The third requirement is the submission of a completed Parent Questionnaire to the Academy Office.  Students and parents who accept placement in the Academy sign a contract each year.

Application Timeline:

• Application window for magnet programming opens August 15, 2011.  The online application for all district GT programming will be available once the window opens at http://www.fcps.net/education-options/gifted--talented
• Academy facilitator will arrange visits to district public and some private middle school programs to offer information and answer questions.  These visits are during the school day and geared toward the student.  Please contact your school’s counseling office for information regarding the Academy facilitator visit to your school.
• Academy Informational Night will be held October 4, 2011 at 7:00pm in the Henry Clay Lassiter Theater. This is an opportunity for parents and students to hear about the program, tour the facility, and ask questions.
• October 7^th is the last day of the application period. No late applications are accepted.
• As part of the application process, parents are required to submit theParent Questionnaire to Ashley Barbour, the Academy Facilitator byOctober 14.  No late Parent Questionnaires will be accepted.  Students without a Parent Questionnaire will not be offered placement.
• Students who complete all steps of the application process will be tested for eligibility into the program at their home middle school during late October into November.   Private school applicants and ninth graders seeking entrance their sophomore year will be invited to test at Henry Clay during November.
• Students who don’t achieve qualifying test scores will be notified in January and will be informed of the appeals process.
• Placement offers for all magnet programs are mailed during February.  Those who accept placement in the Academy will need to return the offer to the district GT office.

Fayette County Public Schools

Gifted/Talented Services
701 East Main Street
Lexington , Kentucky 40502
(859) 381-4741
Fax (859) 381-4248
Web Site: http://www.fcps.net/education-options/gifted--talented/programs

Test Scores Required for 
General Intellectual Ability and Specific Academic Aptitude 
Gifted/Talented Formal Identification

Eligibility for gifted/talented service at the home school requires a minimum of three pieces of documentation, one of which must be in the 9^th stanine on either a standardized full scale mental ability test by age or on a standardized achievement test.

Eligibility for Accelerated Cluster requires a minimum of three pieces of documentation including a 9^th stanine on both a standardized full scale mental ability test by age, the partial/total battery of a standardized achievement test, and a parent questionnaire.

A school and/or a district committee reviews all documentation to determine identification for services.

General intellectual ability tests are designed to measure verbal, quantitative and/or figural reasoning skills that are the most closely related to academic achievement. Achievement tests measure academic aptitude.

Standardized test scores are accepted from any school (public or private) and from any licensed clinical psychologist.  All scores should be reported on official school or psychologist letterhead and include a signature.

When requesting scores from another school district or a licensed clinical psychologist, please ensure the following information is included:

• Standardized full scale mental ability national percentile by age (NPA)
• Standardized full scale mental ability index (example: Cognitive Skills Index (CSI), School Ability Index (SAI), Non-Verbal Ability Index (NAI)
• Standardized achievement test partial or total battery national percentile

A narrative report is not required but may be included as additional documentation.

Scores may be sent via U.S. Postal Service, hand delivered, or faxed.