§ 16.22. Gifted multidisciplinary evaluation.

 (a)  Prior to conducting an initial gifted multidisciplinary evaluation, the school district shall comply with the notice and consent requirements under § §  16.61 and §  16.62 (relating to notice; and consent).

 (b)  Referral for gifted multidisciplinary evaluation shall be made when the student is suspected by teachers or parents of being gifted and not receiving an appropriate education under Chapter 4 (relating to academic standards and assessment) and one or more of the following apply:

   (1)  A request for evaluation has been made by the student’s parents under subsection (c).

   (2)  The student is thought to be gifted because the school district’s screening of the student indicates high potential consistent with the definition of mentally gifted or a performance level which exceeds that of other students in the regular classroom.

   (3)  A hearing officer or judicial decision orders a gifted multidisciplinary evaluation.

 (c)  Parents who suspect that their child is gifted may request a gifted multidisciplinary evaluation of their child at any time, with a limit of one request per school term. The request shall be in writing. If a parental request is made orally to school personnel, the personnel shall inform the parents that the request shall be made in writing and shall provide the parents with a form for that purpose.

 (d)  Multidisciplinary evaluations shall be conducted by GMDTs. The GMDT shall be formed on the basis of the student’s needs and shall be comprised of the student’s parents, a certified school psychologist, persons familiar with the student’s educational experience and performance, one or more of the student’s current teachers, persons trained in the appropriate evaluation techniques and, when possible, persons familiar with the student’s cultural background. A single member of the GMDT may meet two or more of the qualifications specified in this subsection.

 (e)  Gifted multidisciplinary evaluations shall be sufficient in scope and depth to investigate information relevant to the student’s suspected giftedness, including academic functioning, learning strengths and educational needs.

 (f)  The multidisciplinary evaluation process shall include information from the parents or others who interact with the student on a regular basis, and may include information from the student if appropriate.

 (g)  The following protection-in-evaluation measures shall be considered when performing an evaluation of students suspected of being gifted:

   (1)  No one test or type of test may be used as the sole criterion for determining that a student is or is not gifted.

   (2)  Intelligence tests yielding an IQ score may not be used as the only measure of aptitude for students of limited English proficiency, or for students of racial-, linguistic- or ethnic-minority background.

   (3)  Tests and similar evaluation materials used in the determination of giftedness shall be:

     (i)   Selected and administered in a manner that is free from racial and cultural bias and bias based on disability.

     (ii)   Selected and administered so that the test results accurately reflect the student’s aptitude, achievement level or whatever other factor the test purports to measure.

     (iii)   Professionally validated for the specific purpose for which they are used.

     (iv)   Administered by certified school psychologists under instructions provided by the producer of the tests and sound professional practice.

     (v)   Selected and administered to assess specific areas of educational need and ability and not merely a single general IQ.

 (h)  The GMDT shall prepare a written report which brings together the information and findings from the evaluation or reevaluation concerning the student’s educational needs and strengths. The report shall make recommendations as to whether the student is gifted and in need of specially designed instruction, shall indicate the bases for those recommendations, and shall indicate the names and positions of the members of the GMDT.

 (i)  To recommend that a student who has been evaluated is a gifted student, the GMDT shall conclude that the student needs specially designed education and meets the criteria for eligibility as defined in § §  16.1 and 16.21 (relating to definitions; and general).

 (j)  The following timeline applies to the completion of gifted multidisciplinary evaluations:

   (1)  Each district shall establish and implement procedures to complete a gifted multidisciplinary evaluation for a student referred for evaluation within 45 school days after receiving parental permission for an initial evaluation, after notifying the parents of a reevaluation or after receiving an order of a court or hearing officer to conduct a multidisciplinary evaluation.

   (2)  An evaluation report shall be completed within 10 school days after completion of the gifted multidisciplinary evaluation.

   (3)  Within 5 school days after its completion, a copy of the evaluation report shall be delivered to the parents of the student.

   This section cited in 22 Pa. Code §  16.23 (relating to gifted multidisciplinary reevaluation).