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Gifted Identification in Delaware City Schools

DEFINITION

 
In Ohio, the term “Gifted” refers to students who perform or show potential for performing at remarkably high levels of accomplishment when compared to others of their age, experience or environment and who are identified following procedures and criteria established by the Ohio Revised Code, Section 3324.03

For additional information on the rules for gifted identification in Ohio, visit the Ohio Department of Education Office of Exceptional Children Web Site:
 
 

SCREENING & ASSESSING

The Delaware City School District uses a three-stage approach to screen and identify students who perform or show potential for performing at high levels of accomplishment in the areas of superior cognitive ability, specific academic ability, creativity, and visual and/or performing arts. 

STAGE 1

PRE-ASSESSMENT
The first stage of the screening and identification process involves gathering and reviewing relevant existing data on all students and accepting referrals from parents, teachers, and others with knowledge of student abilities. If sufficient data exists, a student may be identified as gifted during this stage. Data is considered current if it was administered within 24 months of the date the child is referred.

Children may be referred by a teacher or parent or by others such as a psychologist, principal, community member, gifted coordinator, or professional arts instructor.
By using this data review and referral process, the district assures equal access to screening and further assessment for all district students, including culturally and linguistically diverse children, children from low socioeconomic backgrounds, children with disabilities, and children for whom English is a second language.
 

STAGE 2

SCREENING
 
The screening stage examines data, which was gathered in Stage 1 and determines if additional assessment is needed.
 
In making decisions about additional assessment, existing test data is not the sole determining criteria. School personnel examine all available information about a student to determine if any evidence of possible giftedness exists for that student and then conduct necessary additional assessment.
 
District determined cut-off scores, to move students from screening to the assessment stage, are lower than the scores necessary for identification. If a student has a sufficient score, identification can take place at this stage.
 


STAGE 3

ASSESSMENT FOR IDENTIFICATION
 
Although most gifted students will be identified by existing data or screening assessments as listed in Stage 1 and
Stage 2, a few may require small group or individual assessment in order to fairly determine their eligibility for identification.
 
If a small group or individual assessment is necessary, parents are notified and permission for testing is obtained. A trained professional conducts the individual assessments.
 
Once all assessment data has been completed, the data obtained throughout the stages of identification are evaluated, the identification decision is made and the student’s educational needs are determined. Parents are notified of results by letter within 30 days of the results.
 

TRANSFER STUDENTS

All students transferring into the Delaware City School District will be assessed within 90 days of the transfer at the request of the parent.  The request can be made in writing to either the building Principal or the Department of Curriculum and Assessment.  The Department of Curriculum and Assessment shall send the parent and/ or guardian a referral form as well as permission to test paperwork.  
 

OUT-OF DISTRICT TESTING

The Delaware City School District accepts test scores or assessment instruments approved for use by the Ohio Department of Education provided by other school districts and/or trained personnel outside the school district. A list of approved tests is available from the Ohio Department of Education Office of Exceptional Children.
 

WITHDRAWAL

Parents wishing to withdraw their child, or students wishing to withdraw, must fill out a parent withdrawal form, which can be obtained, from the Department of Curriculum and Assessment. In some cases, school personnel may initiate a student’s withdrawal from a gifted service, but parents will be consulted before the withdrawal takes effect.
 

SERVICES

The district ensures equal opportunity for all district services offered by the district.  While the state of Ohio requires gifted identification, it does not mandate services for children who are gifted. Each district will determine which identified gifted students will receive services available in the district. Results of the gifted identification process will be shared with the school staff who may use this information to plan appropriate educational experiences.
 

APPEAL PROCEDURE

An appeal by the parent is the reconsideration of the results of any part of the identification process, which would include:
  • Screening procedure or assessment instrument (which results in identification.) · The scheduling of children for assessment
  • The placement of a student in any program, and
  • Receipt of services

Parents should submit a letter to the building principal, gifted teacher, or Department of Curriculum and Assessment outlining the nature of the concern.

 
The building principal, gifted teacher, or Department of Curriculum and Assessment will convene a meeting with a parent/guardian which may include other school personnel.
 
The building principal or designee will issue a written final decision within 30 days of the appeal. This written notice should include the reason for the decision.
 

ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS

Delaware City Schools has selected the following assessment instruments for screening and identification. 
 
 
            SUPERIOR COGNITIVE ABILITY
Screening & Identification Instruments:
 
*Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) Form 7. Small group or individual testing
 
Criteria: Identification: score of two standard deviations above the mean, minus the standard error of measurement.
 

SPECIFIC ACADEMIC ABILITY

Screening & Identification Instruments
 
*NWEA MAP Assessment in Reading/ Math
 
Criteria:  Identification: score of 95th %ile or above in one or more of the specific academic areas, reading/writing, mathematics, science and/or social studies.
 

CREATIVITY

Screening & Identification Instruments
  • Naglieri Non-Verbal Ability Test (NNAT).
  • Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) Form
  • Ravens Progressive Matrices
  • Woodcock-Johnson III. Test of Cognitive Abilities
Behavior Checklists
  • Gifted and Talented Evaluation Scale (GATES) Items #21-30
  • Scales for Rating the Behavior Characteristics of Superior Students (SRBCSS) Part II-Creativity
Criteria:
Screening : Scored at least one standard deviation above the mean minus the standard error measure on a cognitive ability test and at or above a raw score of 32 on the SRBCSS Checklist.
Identification: Score at or above one standard deviation above the mean, minus the standard error of measure on the cognitive test, and a raw score of 43 on the SRBCSS or 83 on the GATES checklists.
 

VISUAL/PERFORMING ARTS

 
Behavior Checklists:
  • Scales for Rating the behavior Characteristics of Superior Students- (SRBCSS) Music Par VI; Drama Part VII; Visual Art Part V (screening)
  • Gifted and Talented Evaluation Scale (GATES) Visual and Performing Arts: Items 41-50 Identification
Performance Measures:
  • Audition or performance (Music, Drama, Dance)
  • Display of Work (Visual Art)
Criteria:
Sufficient performance at or above raw score as designated by publishers of Behavior Checklists ( See chart below) and performance on audition or display of work at or above criteria set in the Ohio Department of Education published guide: Identification of Children Who are Gifted in Visual and Performing Arts Implementation Handbook for Educators (August 2004)
 


Art Dance Music Drama

 
Screening:
  • SRBCSS 40 N/A 25 36
  • GATES 57
 
Identification:
  • SRBCSS 53 N/A 34 48
  • GATES 78 78 78 78