GSP Overview from Governor's Scholars Program on Vimeo.

Information for Guidance Counselors & Teachers

Selection Procedures

A. SUBMISSION OF NOMINATIONS

1. Final nominations must be submitted to the Governor's Scholars Program by superintendents of public and Catholic school districts and by heads of private schools.  Please note that the names of all nominees must be listed on the Nomination Transmittal Form (NTF), in alphabetical order, supplied to each superintendent and private school head.  The list of names on the transmittal form is the only way that the Governor's Scholars Program can check to see that all applications have been received.  Occasionally, an application has been inadvertently omitted from the mailing.
2. Students not submitted as Nominees by school districts or by private schools should be notified by the school district or private school that they were not selected for submission to the Governor's Scholars Program.  They should be notified in ample time to proceed with other plans for the summer.

B. NUMBER AND DISTRIBUTION OF NOMINATIONS

The number of Nominees allocated to each school district for 2013 is based on the total number of 11th grade students in the district, as of the end of the second full month of school.  Nominations are allocated according to the following:

1. Public and Catholic School Districts

   11th Grade Enrollment In District	Max. No. of Nominees
   1-50	2
   51-100	3
   101-150	5
   151-200	6

   Any school district having a junior class enrollment over 200 must multiply the total number of students by 3.25 percent and round to the nearest even number.

   EXAMPLE: 355 students x 3.25 percent = 11.54
   Round to 12 nominees.

2. Private Schools

C. STEPS IN THE SELECTION PROCESS

1. Superintendent
   • The number of Nominees allotted to a school district is based on the total number of 11th  grade students in that district.  A chart designating the number of nominations is shown on the previous page.  Each superintendent will need to check total 11th grade enrollment as of the end of the second full month of school against the chart to determine their allotted number of nominees.  The number of nominees will be verified by the GSP staff when applications are received.  The method of distribution of nominations among high schools, where there is more than one in a district, is left to the discretion of the superintendent.
   • The superintendent informs each high school principal of the number of Nominees allotted to the district and sets the final date for school nominations to be submitted to the District Office.
   • The superintendent makes sure that the application process is well publicized so that all students who may be interested know about the opportunity to apply.
   • Each school district is required to convene a District Selection Committee to advise the superintendent.  The superintendent appoints this committee and allows sufficient time for the committee to review the applications and make their recommendations to the superintendent.  See District Selection Committee and Superintendent, p. 5, for more details.
2. High Schools: Public and Private
   • Information and forms are mailed by the Governor's Scholars Program to superintendents, principals, and guidance counselors in the public schools and to the head of all private schools.   The opportunity to apply for the Governor's Scholars Program must be well publicized, so that students know how and when to apply.  Information and forms should be readily available to all interested students.  All interested students must be allowed to submit an application.  Special effort should be made to identify and recruit outstanding minority students.
   • Each high school sets up its own system for the distribution of materials to students.  All information and forms may be freely duplicated.  In most schools, guidance counselors coordinate the actual process.
   • Teachers in academic areas such as English, social studies, foreign languages, the sciences, and mathematics recommend students using Teacher Nomination Forms (TNFs).  Teachers must complete a separate TNF for each student.  Teachers submit the forms to the guidance counselor or designee, in accordance with the process established in the school.  Only two TNFs from teachers in the academic disciplines should be included with each application.  See Criteria for Nominating Scholars, p. 7, for more details.
   • Guidance Counselors can provide additional information on and/or a recommendation for students using the Guidance Counselor Statement (GCS).  Experience has shown that information from guidance counselors can make a significant difference for the student during the selection process.  See Criteria for Nominating Scholars, p. 7, for more details.
   • The principal or head of each high school appoints a School-Based Committee to review all applications and select the most able and talented students to forward to the District Selection Committee or to the Governor's Scholars Program.
     1. Public school principals forward the final school nominations and completed applications of the school’s Nominees to the superintendent of the school district.
     2. Catholic school principals forward their nominations and applications to the superintendent of education of the diocese or designee.
     3. Heads of private schools forward their nominations and applications directly to the Governor's Scholars Program.
   • School-Based Committee.   It is required that a committee select Governor's Scholars Nominees from each high school.  The committee shall be composed of at least the following members:  community representative; principal, head of school, or designee; guidance counselor; and two teachers, including one teacher in gifted education if the school has such classes.
3. District Selection Committee and Superintendent
   • Each superintendent is required to appoint a District Selection Committee to recommend the final nominees.  If there is only one high school within the school district, the school-based and district committees may be combined. The committee shall be composed of at least the following members:

   superintendent or designee, school board member or designee not employed by school, community leader, guidance counselor, two teachers, and the coordinator of gifted and talented education unless the district does not have such a program.

   • The committee will:
     1. Review and rank applications using the Selection Rating Form and select the best students with the most appropriate attributes for the Governor's Scholars Program from the nominations submitted by the high school(s).  All those involved with the selection process should be aware that the program seeks Scholars representing the composition of the state’s student body – socioeconomic levels and equitable reflection of racial, male and female ratios.  Decisions should be based on all of the merits of each student.  Committee members should carefully document their process, as well as their decisions, in making their nominations.  Student applications SHOULD NOT be destroyed until June of the present school year.
     2. Submit recommendations to the superintendent for the total number of Nominees allotted to the district.
   • The superintendent must include the names and titles or occupations of the District Selection Committee members on the back of the Nomination Transmittal Form (NTF), formulate the final list, and clearly designate the Nominee(s) in alphabetical order on the NTF.
   • IMPORTANT:  The superintendent’s office is responsible for forwarding the original application PLUS 3 COPIES of the entire application including all attachments to:

   
   Governor's Scholars Program
   Student Nominations
   1024 Capital Center Drive, Suite 210
   Frankfort, KY 40601

   Please check to make sure all pages of application and attachments are copied and send only front-sided copies (no front and back).

   DATE TO POSTMARK APPLICATIONS

   January 11	Last day for school districts with only one school and private schools to mail notifications and completed applications to the Governor’s Scholars Program.  (Student’s deadline to district is prior to this date.  Usually 1 to 2 weeks.)
   January 25	Last day for school districts with more than one school in the district (requiring a district selection committee) to mail notifications and completed applications to the Governor’s Scholars Program.  (Student’s deadline to district is prior to this date.  Usually 1 to 2 weeks.)

   Applications will not be processed until complete.  Please keep a copy on file of all applications submitted to the Governor's Scholars Program until June of present school year.

Criteria for Nominating Governor's Scholars

Students selected for nomination must meet the following eligibility requirements.  Both Specific and General Criteria (as designated below) should be followed in selecting students.

A.  Eligibility

To be eligible for nomination and selection, a student must:

1. Be in the 11th grade at a Kentucky public or private school at the time of selection and intend to return to a Kentucky school district for the next school term.  (Students skipping their senior year to enter college are not eligible.);
2. Be a current resident of Kentucky;
3. Have taken the ACT, PSAT, or SAT in the 9th, 10th, or 11th grades.

B.  Specific Criteria For Nomination

1. Test Scores

   All applicants must submit a ACT, PSAT, or SAT Score.  (The PLAN cannot be submitted.)  Applications will not be considered if the applicant has not taken the ACT, PSAT, or SAT.  Scores should not be used as the only basis for selection; all criteria should be considered in making selections.

2. GPA

   A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1.  There are no provisions for giving extra weight to accelerated or honor courses; therefore, the actual grade given the student is to be used in the averaging process.  Plus and minus grades are not to be counted in the computation.

   • Grade Point Average (GPA) – The student’s GPA must be submitted and should be based on an unweighted four-point scale as follows:
   • Difficulty of Course Load – Guidance Counselors will evaluate each Nominee’s Difficulty of Course Load on a scale of 1 to 5.  The number of advanced, honors or high level courses completed and the number of academic vs. elective classes will be considered.
      
3. Writing Entry

   Each applicant must submit a writing entry as part of the Student Application.  The Statewide Selection Committee uses this writing entry as a measure of the student’s ability.  Members of the School-Based Committee and the District Selection Committee should carefully consider the entry before making their decisions, for it often reflects the thinking ability, creativity, and scope of interests of the student.  The entry is evaluated for honesty and clarity of thought and expression, sincerity, insight, writing ability, originality of ideas, analytic thinking, and ability to organize material and thoughts.

4. Guidance Counselor Statement
   • This statement should only be completed if there is additional information that may be significant and relevant and HAS NOT otherwise been noted or introduced in the application.  The Guidance Counselor Statement is NOT REQUIRED.  The counselor should indicate if the student has overcome adversity, while maintaining academic excellence.  If the Guidance Counselor Statement is being submitted, two copies are required.
   • The Guidance Counselor Statement does not add additional points nor are points deducted for this section.
    
5.  Teacher Nomination Forms (TNFs)

•  Each Nominee must submit two Teacher Nomination Forms (TNFs).  Recommendations must be from the 9th, 10th, or 11th grade and from a core academic subject:  English; social studies or history; foreign languages; the sciences; or mathematics.
• A teacher should carefully complete a separate TNF for each student that he or she recommends.  The teacher should honestly evaluate the student and indicate whether or not the student participates fully in class, is considerate of teachers and other students, and should note if the student has exhibited responsibility and stability, or the reverse.  The teacher should include a statement about the student’s potential, identify special talents, and add any comments that may be helpful in the selection process.  Please be sure to include specific details and examples.  Brief responses that lack specific information do not provide the selection committee with sufficient information and will result in a lower score. 

C.  General Criteria for Nomination

1.  Each student nominated should have:
   • Demonstrated academic achievement, leadership, and intellectual and emotional maturity and have the personal commitment and responsibility to meet the daily expectations of the program.
   • The ability to cope successfully with a curriculum focusing on theory, abstraction, and self-expression.
2.  Each student nominated should exhibit many of the following characteristics:
   • Be flexible enough to explore new ideas and approaches, adapt to new situations, and view problems from more than one perspective.
   • Be willing to participate energetically in the academic, as well as the social and residential life of the program.
   • Be inquisitive, intellectually curious, and eager and willing to get involved.
   • Be willing to think in conceptual terms.
   • Demonstrate ability to think analytically and to generate many alternatives.
   • Have genuine intellectual potential and a broad range of interests – not to be confused with range of activities.
   • Be a responsible self-starter and enjoy developing and creating projects.  Be independent and willing to take risks.
   • Be emotionally stable and socially mature; use common sense.  Be honest, considerate of others and be ready to shoulder responsibility for personal behavior and for full, daily participation in classes and activities.
   • Be able to express himself or herself in writing, orally, and/or in the arts.
   • Have a sense of humor.
3.  Commitment is a major requirement.

 Each student should be committed to participate enthusiastically in the program and to remain for the entire five weeks without interruption, except for illness or emergencies.  Undivided time and continuity in the Scholars’ community is essential to maintain the momentum to grow intellectually and personally, to gain self-confidence, and to stimulate curiosity and creativity.   Students unlikely to uphold this commitment should not apply.

Students must be able to handle their freedom with responsibility for the sake of their own health and to meet their commitments.

Each accepted student must sign a contract agreeing:

1. To stay for the entire five weeks of the program without interruption; and,
2. To attend classes daily and to participate fully in classes and the life of the community, including weekends on campus.

Students who fail to meet this commitment will be in violation of their contracts and may be dropped from the program and their schools so notified.  Individual exceptions may be allowed for illness or family emergencies.

Students who know in advance of other commitments that will occur during the program (such as academic competitions, national meetings, major tournaments, etc.) should contact the Governor's Scholars Program to discuss the conflict before accepting a nomination, or should not apply.   The Governor's Scholars Program considers it unethical and unfair to other students for a student to accept a nomination to the program, knowing in advance that permission will be sought at a later date to be absent during the program.