pine view school admissions
Sarasota County’s Gifted Magnet Schools: A Parent Friendly Guide to Admissions
Since I began offering gifted evaluations at my Sarasota office, I have been asked countless times about enrollment in Pine View School, a full-time school for gifted children that is perpetually ranked both nationally and state-wide as one of the best schools in the country. Procedures for admission can seem confusing to parents, so below is a user friendly guide for how parents can move forward towards seeking admission into Pine View School and other schools in Sarasota County offering gifted magnet programs.
Procedures for Entering Sarasota County’s Gifted Magnet Programs:
1.) IQ Test and Gifted Educational Plan (EP)
Your first step is to obtain a Gifted Educational Plan (referred to as an, “EP”). In the state of Florida, an EP requires that a child obtain a full IQ score of at least 130. Parents can opt to have the evaluation completed via their child’s school, which can be a lengthy process, or privately through a licensed school psychologist to speed up the timeline and bypass the screening process.
For children who meet that 130 IQ requirement, a meeting is scheduled with the parents and school staff to review the IQ testing results, gifted ratings completed by the teacher(s), and the child’s need for the gifted program with the most common result being formal admission into the gifted program.
On a side note, once your child obtains that EP, he or she is entitled to receive gifted services from a “gifted endorsed” teacher regardless of if you choose to pursue a gifted magnet school or not. This EP (and thus, your child’s gifted services) are then available throughout the rest of your child’s school career without a need for further testing!
Schedule a gifted evaluation today!
2.) Academic Achievement Testing 
After your child’s EP is in place, formal academic achievement testing will need to be completed. This must be within the past 12 months to be considered current. The district provides a target score of 127 (which is at about the 96th percentile) in both reading and math to be admitted into Pine View School or other gifted magnet programs in Sarasota County, though unlike the IQ requirement, this is not a hard cutoff score. Academic achievement scores starting around 118 can be considered for admissions depending on the child’s grades and teacher ratings. Many parents who have their child’s IQ assessed privately opt to have the academic testing completed privately as well to expedite the process.
3.) Additional Documentation
If your child has met the IQ and academic achievement criteria, you are well on your way! The next step is to obtain a few different documents, which are listed below. Note that at public schools, staff such as ESE Liaisons and school counselors can help you obtain these documents:
- Most recent report card
- Recommendations from 2 core-curricula teachers via a dated and signed statement of support
- Recommendation from the school counselor via dated and signed statement of support
- Proof of Florida residency
Once the requirements outlined above are obtained, you will contact the school that your child is zoned for based on your home address. That school will then process your documentation and formally provide you with the Magnet Program and Gifted Program options that your child is eligible for so you can make the best decision for your child’s schooling.
For families wishing to obtain a private gifted evaluation at our Sarasota office, click here to schedule an appointment or request more information.
While Pine View School is the most widely known gifted magnet school in Sarasota County, the following schools also offer gifted magnet programs: Venice Elementary, Fruitville Elementary, Booker Middle, Sarasota Middle, Laurel Nokomis School, Toledo Blade Elementary, and Woodland Middle School.
To review Sarasota County Schools’ official explanation of requirements for entry into the Gifted Magnet Program, click here.
For out-of-state or out-of-district families interested in Pine View or other gifted magnet schools, the Pine View admissions process is described here: Out-of-District Pine View Admissions
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