Montgomery County teachers recommended twice as many second graders for advanced reading classes as they did in 2009 under a new testing process for gifted and talented students.

SClBNearly 39 percent, or 951 of 2,467 students, were identified in the spring as above-level readers using the process, called Student Instructional Program Planning and Implementation, or SIPPI. By contrast, just 404 of 2,293 students, or 17.6 percent, were recommended for above-level reading courses in 2009 using the traditional screening process.