Dr. Stephen Pfeiffer and I, co-authors of The Gifted Rating Scales™ Second Edition (GRS™ 2), are pleased to announce the availability of the GRS 2. The revisions provide significant updates to one of the most widely used tools for identifying gifted students. With updated norms, a new parent form, an expanded age range, and more efficient administration, the GRS 2 offers a comprehensive view of students’ abilities across multiple dimensions, including intellectual ability, academic ability, creativity, leadership, and artistic talent. The online data collection and automated scoring and reporting streamline the assessment process.

The goal of updating the GRS was to ensure that the instrument continues to align with the latest research and best practices in gifted education. Since its original release, new insights and trends have emerged regarding how giftedness manifests across different age groups, cultures, and learning environments.

What’s new in the GRS2?

Updated Norms cover a different ages, gender, races/ethnicities, parental education levels, and geographic locations throughout the U.S. and Canada. The new normative data were derived from a large sample that was selected to be representative of the North American population based on the 2018 U.S. census.

An all-new Parent Form is available in English and Spanish for Cognitive Ability, Creative/Artistic Ability, and Resiliency & Social Competency. Ratings based on behaviors observed in different contexts allow for for a more holistic view of students’ abilities.

The expanded upper age range allows for screening of secondary school students. The GRS2 age range covers the ages of 4–18 years.

An enhanced administration experience and modular design allows users to create individualized assessments by selecting individual GRS 2 scales or using them in combination. The number of items per scale have been streamlined to make administration more efficient.

The reporting system offers advanced insights, including the Response Style Analysis report to indicate whether a teacher or parent has rated items thoughtfully and carefully. Comparing T-scores on the scales meant to assess giftedness with the student’s average score on the administered scales can help identify a student’s relative strengths across the GRS 2 scales .

The GRS2 helps educators, psychologists, and parents to collaborate more effectively to recognize and nurture the potential of gifted students. With its user-friendly design and research-backed revisions, the GRS 2 ensures accuracy in identifying diverse talents among students. The updates significantly improve the GRS 2’s ability to identify and nurture diverse talents among students in today’s classrooms.

To learn more and order the GRS 2, visit MHS’s GRS 2 page.