Broward County gifted screening and STAR guide.

Broward County Public Schools runs its Gifted and Talented program under Florida's state rules. The district's Gifted and Talented page says it universally screens all second grade students using STAR assessment results. STAR is a computer test of reading and math that schools already give during the year.

Two ways into the process

The first is the universal screen in 2nd grade. The second is a referral, which can happen in any grade. The district says a student may be referred for gifted screening by a parent or guardian, a teacher or other staff member, the student, or anyone else with knowledge of the student.

What decides eligibility in Florida

Passing the screen is not the same as being gifted-eligible. Florida's rule defines a gifted student as one who has superior intellectual development and is capable of high performance. Under the standard path, a student needs a demonstrated need for a special program, a majority of gifted characteristics on a standard checklist, and an IQ at least two standard deviations above the mean on an individually administered intelligence test. On tests scored with an average of 100, that is about 130.

The rule also lets a district use an approved alternative plan for under-represented students, defined as students who are learning English or come from low-income families. Broward's current pages do not describe its alternative plan, so ask the school if this may apply to your child.

Questions Broward parents should ask

1. Which STAR administration is used for the 2nd grade screen, and what score flags a student?
2. Was my child flagged, and what happens next?
3. How do I make a parent referral, and to whom?
4. Who gives the individual intelligence test, and how long does it take to get results?
5. Could the alternative plan for under-represented students apply to my child?

Our broader questions to ask your school guide can help you plan that conversation.

How to prepare, calmly

There is nothing separate to study for the STAR screen; it reflects reading and math your child is learning. Final eligibility in Florida rests on a one-on-one intelligence test. If you want your child comfortable with reasoning puzzles, keep it light: 10 to 15 minutes a day, and if you use practice tests, have your child complete at least two full timed ones so the pacing feels familiar. Practice teaches your child what the questions look like and gives them ways to approach and think through them, so test day feels familiar instead of surprising.