After a teacher nominates a student for gifted education, what is the next appropriate step?

The next appropriate step after a teacher nominates a student for gifted education is to examine samples of the student's academic work. This process provides concrete evidence of the student's abilities, strengths, and areas of talent. Reviewing academic work helps assess whether the student demonstrates exceptional performance compared to their peers.

This step is crucial because it allows evaluators to gain insights into the student’s capabilities, creativity, and problem-solving skills, which are often key indicators of giftedness. Analyzing work samples ensures that decisions about the student's placement in gifted programs are based on factual data rather than solely on anecdotal observations or impressions.

In contrast, observing the student's work habits may yield helpful information, but it does not provide the same level of specific evidence as academic work samples do. Holding an individualized education program conference is more suited for students already identified as needing special education services, rather than for those being considered for gifted programs. Inviting the student's partners to an information session does not directly assess the student’s eligibility or performance and is less relevant at this initial stage.