Visual Arts Talent Area

The considerations for a gifted visual artist will include multiple artifacts demonstrating a fluency of imagination, expression and technique.

Students are not generally considered for gifted identification through a craft project produced by all students, pre-drawn pages from published material or photocopied or traced work.

Types of evidence

• Works created in or outside class

• Photos of 3‐D pieces

• Artistic photographs

• Original scenery designs for theater, fashion or costume designs or completed pieces, or architectural drawings of student-designed structure

• Digital drawings, paintings or animations, video productions or interactive media works

• Other visible, tangible products that demonstrate exceptional talent

The Colorado Department of Education has approved different types of qualifying information for a body of evidence in dance aptitude within Jeffco.

Performance, portfolio and product evaluation

• Top place or ranking at a state or national contest related to visual arts
• Expert juried performance at the advanced or distinguished level
• Portfolio or product review at the advanced or distinguished level

Norm-referenced observation

• 95th percentile or above on norm-referenced observation scale in the area of creativity (SIGS, GRS or others)

Criterion or norm-referenced test

• 95th percentile or above on an approved norm-referenced or criterion-referenced test for Creativity (such as the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking or PCA)
• 95th percentile or above on an approved cognitive assessment (KBIT, CogAT, WISC, WPPSI)

1. Fill out the visual arts aptitude identification referral form.
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2. Review the visual art portfolio rubric.
3. Assemble the portfolio.
4. Submit the portfolio by the deadline on the timeline for talent identification.
5. GT resource teachers or expert jurors will evaluate the portfolio and build a body of evidence.
6. A GT resource teacher may perform cognitive-creative testing or visual arts behavior scales, such as research-based observation scales, with the student.
7. The GT review team will review the body of evidence and inform parents of the status or decision within 30 school days of the review.

Assemble a portfolio

Portfolios must be electronic and submitted online. Submissions can be annotated to help the review team understand the student’s thinking and process.

Due to the nature of visual art, the number of different media demonstrated is unspecified. Jeffco is looking for at least five artifacts that evidence advanced visual arts ability.

Portfolios could include:

• Examples of visual art media such as paint, photography, 3-D art, ceramics, drawings or digital art.
• Artifacts such as completed pieces or sketchbooks (one sketchbook is considered one artifact).
• Evidence of state or national ranking in competitions or events related to visual art.
• Other evidence that may show visual art or creative art processes.