Quick Start Guide to Gifted Child Find

I find designating October as Child Find Month helps me keep the Talent Search or Child Find process manageable. As the only gifted teacher in my district, I know it can feel overwhelming. Piles of paperwork, inconsistent processes, and the pressure to “get it right” can make you want to crawl back onto Gifted Island. Good News! You don’t need a giant team or endless hours to make Child Find manageable. You just need a clear path.

Here’s your Quick Start Guide to launch Child Find with clarity and ease:

Step 1: Clarify Your Purpose

Child Find is about identifying students who need services, not just the obvious high-achievers. Start by reviewing your state district’s gifted criteria alongside your current student data. Get clear on what you’re looking for and why it matters.

Step 2: Gather Your Tools

Checklists, parent meeting agendas, and a solid screener are your best friends. Having them in hand before you start saves hours of scrambling later.

✨ Want ready-to-go versions? Grab the templates I use so you don’t have to start from scratch. Child Find Checklist & Parent Meeting Agenda Template, Data Tracker, Gifted Characteristics Classroom Screener Digital

Step 3: Map Your Month

Break the month into weekly chunks so you’re not buried all at once:

• Week 1: Pull data + send out referral information and forms

• Week 2: Collect the data and forms and refine the search

• Week 3: Schedule parent meetings **I've learned to schedule these the day before the outside evaluator comes and request to be added to her list for that day

• Week 4: Document, email your teachers with invites, and document

This is also a great place to lean on the F.I.N.D. framework as a mental checklist: Filter, Identify, Navigate, Develop. It’s a simple way to remind yourself what stage you’re in and what comes next.

Step 4: Stay Grounded in Equity

At every step, pause to ask: Who’s missing? ELL students, twice-exceptional learners, rural students, and underrepresented groups often fall through the cracks. Keeping equity in focus ensures your Child Find process is truly inclusive. Remind gen ed teachers about the characteristics of gifted students and why some gifted students "don't seem gifted" in the gen ed classroom.

Here’s your Quick Start Guide—organized with the F.I.N.D. framework so you can hit the ground running:

Step 1: Filter

• ✅ Pull universal screener data.

• ✅ Send out quick referral forms (to teachers + parents).

• ✅ Watch for students who show curiosity, creativity, or problem-solving.
  Equity Check: Double-check underrepresented groups—ELL, 2e, rural.

Step 2: Identify

• ✅ Review multiple data points (achievement + observations).

• ✅ Build your list of “probable” students and refine

• ✅ Invite input from gen ed teachers (beg if you must)
  Equity Check: Compare your shortlist against the whole population.

Step 3: Navigate

• ✅ Schedule parent meetings + get consent for assessments.

• ✅ Use a variety of assessments (cognitive, achievement, creativity).

• ✅ Share the timeline with families and check in to keep everyone in the loop
  Equity Check: Ensure communication is clear, accessible, and family-friendly.

Step 4: Develop

• ✅ Run eligibility meetings with a strengths-first mindset.

• ✅ Draft Written Education Plans with clear goals + services.

• ✅ Plan to monitor and adjust throughout the year.
  Equity Check: Make services flexible for diverse needs.

You don’t have to do Child Find alone or reinvent the wheel. The free Child Find/Talent Search templates give you ready-to-use tools that save time and reduce stress. And if you’re craving connection (because Gifted Island is real), join our Facebook community where other gifted teachers share ideas, encouragement, and systems that work.

This Child Find Month (or whenever you begin your Talent Search process), let’s make the process simple, sustainable, and successful together.

Written by Michelle Robinson, founder of Gifted Ed Solutions. Helping gifted teachers get off “Gifted Island” and teach with joy again.

Templates: Child Find Checklist & Parent Meeting Agenda Template, Data Tracker, Gifted Characteristics Classroom Screener Digital