Services may also be based on your district's budget. I'm a GIS (Gifted Intervention Specialist) & there are about 1000 identified middle school students between 2 GISs. Needless to say, the 2 of us can't work with everyone, so our district uses criteria to narrow the pool to a more manageable number. The criteria are objective (not based on grades, recommendations, etc.) & quantitative(number of areas of ID based on nationally-normed assessments, etc.) to determine need (as best as we can). I know that not all kids test well, but this does help ensure gifted underachievers (who also can benefit from services) are on the same footing with teacher-pleasers. If anyone has the perfect formula for determining "need," please share!
There are still a LOT of cognitively identified kids in my district who don't receive formal gifted services. It stinks, but there just isn't the funding for it.
I can't stress talking to your student's classroom teachers enough! Most teachers really do want all their kids to learn--they just don't always have ideas for how to do it. Susan Winebrenner's book _Teaching Gifted Kids in the Regular Classroom_ is a resource that can help make it less overwhelming for classroom teachers. If the regular classroom teachers are on board, this can mean services for your student every day!
