• IGBB: Programs for Students Who Are Gifted and Talented

    Policy

    In accordance with the belief that all students are entitled to an education commensurate with their particular needs, the District provides opportunities for students who are gifted to progress as their abilities permit. The Board believes that these students require services beyond those offered in regular school programs to realize their potential contribution to themselves and society.

    Annually, students who are gifted are identified by professionally qualified persons using a variety of assessment procedures. The Board encourages efforts to provide services for the students who are gifted as an integral part of the total kindergarten through grade 12 program.

    Identification

    The District follows the identification eligibility criteria as specified in state law.

    • The District shall identify students of the District, in grades kindergarten through twelve, who may be gifted in one or more of the following areas:
      • Advanced Cognitive Ability
      • Specific Academic Ability in one or more of the following content areas:
        • Mathematics
        • Science
        • Reading, writing, or a combination of these skills
        • Social Studies
      • Creative Thinking Ability
      • Visual or Performing Arts Ability such as drawing, painting, sculpting, music, dance, drama, photography
    • The District shall use only those instruments approved by the Ohio Department of Education to screen, assess, and identify students who are gifted.
    • The District shall accept scores on assessment instruments approved for use by the Ohio Department of Education provided by other school districts and trained personnel outside the District.
    • The District shall adopt and submit to the Ohio Department of Education a plan for screening, assessing, and identifying students who are gifted. The District submits any revisions to the Ohio Department of education for approval. The identification plan includes the following:
      • The criteria methods the District uses to screen and select students for a further assessment who perform or show potential for performing at remarkably high levels of accomplishment in one of the gifted or talented areas
      • The sources of assessment data the District uses to select students for further testing and an explanation to parents of the multiple assessment instruments required to identify students who are gifted
      • An explanation for parents of the District's methods to ensure equal access to screening and further assessment by all District students, culturally and linguistically diverse students, students from low socio-economic backgrounds, students with disabilities, and students for whom English is a second language
      • The process of notifying parents regarding all policies and procedures concerning the screening, assessment, and identification of students who are gifted and talented
      • An opportunity for parents to appeal any decision about the results of screening procedures or assessments, scheduling of students for assessment, placement of a student in any program, or receipt of services
      • Procedures for the assessment of students who transfer into the District
      • At least two opportunities a year for assessment in the case of requesting assessment or recommended for assessment by teachers, parents, or other students

    District Plan for Services

    The District adopts and submits to ODE a plan for a continuum of services offered to students who are gifted.

    • The District ensures equal opportunity for all students identified as gifted to receive any or all services offered by the District.
    • The District implements a procedure for withdrawal of students from District services and reassessment of students.
    • The District implements a procedure for resolving disputes concerning identification and placement decisions.
    • The District delivers gifted education services following the State law.
    • The District informs parents of the contents of this policy as required by State law.

    Gifted services may include:

    • Full-time self-contained classroom where the licensed Gifted Intervention Specialist (GIS) is the teacher of record and all students are identified as gifted. The District recommends a maximum of twenty students at one time in this setting.
    • Cluster grouping, where a small group of students who are gifted is deliberately placed together in a classroom. A Gifted Intervention Specialist (GIS) or Gifted Service Provider (GSP) services students identified as gifted.
    • Pull-out resource program where the Gifted Intervention Specialist pulls gifted identified students out of their regular classroom and provides approximately 225 minutes of gifted service per week. The GIS can travel to up to 3 schools and maintain a caseload of 50 students per week total.
    • Additional opportunities, including:
      • An honors course
      • An international baccalaureate course
      • An advanced placement course
      • Services through a trained arts instructor
      • Grade acceleration
      • Dual enrollment such as college credit plus
      • Internships and mentorships
      • Educational options, including credit flexibility, advanced online courses, and other such programs

    Teachers involved in the above courses must have either a Gifted Intervention Specialist license recognized by the state of Ohio or must be a Gifted Service Provider working toward achieving a GSP certificate.

    Annual Report

    The District submits, as required, an annual report to the Ohio Department of Education.

    The Chief Executive Officer or designee implements all policies and procedures following laws, rules, and regulations and follows the Ohio Administrative Code rules regarding gifted education.

    Written Education Plan

    The District provides gifted services based on the student's areas(s) of identification and individual needs. The District develops a written education plan (WEP) that guides the provided services in collaboration with an educator who holds licensure or endorsement in gifted education. The District provides parents with periodic reports regarding the student's progress toward meeting goals and the effectiveness of the services offered per the WEP. The WEP is provided to parents of gifted students and educators responsible for providing gifted education services and includes:

    • A description of the services provided, including goals for the student in each service specified, including but not limited to measurable academic goals
    • Methods and performance measurements for evaluating progress toward achieving the goals specified
    • Methods and schedule for reporting progress to students and parents
    • Staff members responsible for ensuring that specified services are delivered
    • Policies regarding the waiver of assignments and the scheduling of tests missed while a student is participating in any gifted services provided outside the general education classroom and
    • A date by which the WEP will be reviewed for possible revision.

    At the commencement of services, and each year a student receives services, the District attempts to obtain a parent/guardian signature on the WEP. A student will not be denied services due to a lack of a parent/guardian signature. The District develops and disseminates a "no services" letter to parents/guardians of students identified as gifted but not receiving gifted services communicating the student is not receiving gifted services. The letter may include a list of enrichment opportunities provided to the student by the District.

    Gifted Education Personnel

    Gifted education intervention specialists or service providers provide grade-level gifted education instruction following the Ohio Administrative Code. Gifted education instruction is offered during the regular school day and may be provided in large or small groups and/or individually in various settings. The instructor may differentiate the depth, breadth, and pace of instruction based on the appropriate content areas. Where a general education teacher is designated as the provider of gifted services, the teacher meets the requirements of the Ohio Administrative Code, including the requirements to receive professional development and ongoing assistance from a gifted education intervention specialist or gifted education coordinator

    History

    • Adopted: June 28, 2001
    • Amended: March 29, 2022

    Legal References