School System Sent Inaccurate 'Gifted and Talented' Letters

UPDATE - 3:15 p.m. - This post was updated with information from a schools spokesperson.

Parents receiving letters about their students' eligibility for gifted and talented classes at Howard County Public Schools may get a surprise.

A software glitch caused every letter to state that the student is eligible for gifted and talented classes, even if their score didn't meet the eligibility requirements, according to notice sent home by the school on Thursday.

Of the 3,513 letters that went out, 2,210 were incorrect, according to Howard County schools spokesperson Rebecca Amani-Dove.

The notice stated the student scores in the letter are accurate, "So, even those students whose scores are below the minimum eligibility scores, received letters of eligibility and parent permission forms."

The school system apologized for the error and stated it would send out new letters as soon as possible.

Amani-Dove said that historically the school system tests students who scored advanced on Maryland state testing or were recommended by teachers or parents for the gifted and talented program in elementary, middle and high schools. The test is called the School and College Ability Test and measures students' ability in verbal and mathematical reasoning, according to Amani-Dove.

She said the glitch in the letters was due to a coding error.