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Schools & Programs

Gifted & Talented Education (GATE)

The mission of Dorchester School District Two's Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) program is to nurture and cultivate the learning potential of academically gifted and talented students by offering specialized curriculum and instructional experiences that are responsive to students' individual learning and intellectual strengths. 

South Carolina's Department of Education defines gifted and talented students as those who are identified in grades one through twelve as demonstrating high performance ability or potential in academic areas. These students require an educational program beyond what is normally provided by the general school program in order to achieve their potential (SC Regulation 43-220).
 

Amanda Wilkins
Gifted & Talented Education

Christina McClain
Gifted & Talented Education

Understanding Screeners

The South Carolina State Department of Education has approved specific assessments for the purposes of identifying academically gifted learners. Below are the different screeners administered throughout the year in Dorchester School District Two. Please refer to the Screener Descriptions for 2024-2025 below.

Interpreting CogAT & IA Results for 2nd Grade Census Testing

Every fall, second graders participate in census testing with other second grade students across Dorchester School District Two and SC. This census testing involves two assessments that measure different ways a student thinks and learns.

These two tests serve as data points to help teachers differentiate their classroom instruction for students of differing abilities as well as serve as screeners to determine state identification of academically gifted learners. 

  • The first test is the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) which measures a student’s ability to solve problems with the use of words and without words.
  • The second test is the IOWA Assessment (IA), which measures student’s academic achievement in reading and math.

Frequently Asked Questions