Gifted/Talented Education and Acceleration
Definition - "Gifted" means students who perform or show potential for performing at remarkably high levels of accomplishment when compared to others of their age, experience, or environment.
Screening and Assessment
North College Hill uses the following approach to screen 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.
The screening stage examines data to determine one of three subsequent courses of action:
Screening and Assessment
North College Hill uses the following approach to screen 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.
The screening stage examines data to determine one of three subsequent courses of action:
- The data on a student may indicate that no further assessment is appropriate
- The student may be identified as gifted if specified state criteria are met.
- The data may indicate that further assessment is needed.
Assessment for identification
- Assessment strategies provide additional data necessary for an identification decision and the delivery of services.
- Strategies for additional assessment include individual or group testing.
- Once additional assessment 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.
Referral
The district provides at least two opportunities a year (fall and spring) for assessment. Written requests for assessment are submitted to the building principals.
Services may include:
- Grade acceleration
- Early entrance
- Cluster grouping
- Resource rooms
- Advanced Placement
- Differentiated curriculum
- Oral,written, and artistic expression
- Independent study
- Accelerated coursework or content acceleration
- Virtual High School
The North College Hill Gifted and Talented Program (GATE) serves students identified as superior cognitive and specific academic (reading and math) in grades three through eight. GATE provides a half day per week program with a focus on higher level thinking skills and activities. High School students have available to them Virtual High School classes, accelerated classes, independent studies, Post-Secondary Enrollment Option (PSEO), service groups, career counseling, and special interest clubs.
ACCELERATION
North College Hill School District recognized that all students learn and progress at different rates and that the time it takes to reach academic standards varies among students. The District believes students should be challenged and supported to reach their full potential and that the practice of educational acceleration is used to match appropriate learning opportunities with student abilities. Research demonstrates that acceleration, when used appropriately, is one of the most effective interventions for enhancing the intellectual growth of advanced learners. The goals of acceleration are to adjust the pace of instruction to the student's capabilities, provide an appropriate level of challenge by removing the barriers to accessing appropriately challenging curriculum and to reduce the time period necessary for students to complete traditional schooling.
Recognizing the academic benefits of acceleration, North College Hill provides the following types of acceleration for qualified K-12 students:
Recognizing the academic benefits of acceleration, North College Hill provides the following types of acceleration for qualified K-12 students:
- Whole-grade acceleration: The practice of assigning a student on a full-time basis to a higher grade level than is typical given the student's age, for the purpose of providing access to appropriately challenging learning opportunities.
- Individual subject acceleration: The practice of assigning a student to a higher grade level than is typical given the student's age, for the purpose of providing access to appropriately challenging learning opportunities in one or more subject areas.
- Early admission to kindergarten: The practice of admitting a student to kindergarten who has not yet reached the typical age at which students are admitted to kindergarten, for the purpose of providing access to appropriately challenging learning opportunities.
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Early high school graduation: The practice of facilitating completion of the high school program in fewer than four years, for the purpose of providing earlier than typical access to post-secondary educational opportunities.
Referral Process
Parents, students, and teachers who are interested in having a student evaluated for acceleration should contact the building principal. Acceleration referral forms may be downloaded below.
Evaluation and Placement
The Iowa Acceleration Scale (IAS), 3rd Edition is the only acceleration guide recommended by the Ohio Department of Education. The instrument considers the following five main categories in the evaluation process: 1) Academic Ability, Aptitude, and Achievement; 2) School and Academic Factors; 3) Developmental Factors; 4) Interpersonal Skills; and 5) Attitude and Support. An Acceleration Committee issues a written recommendation to the building principal and the the students' parents/guardians and develops a written acceleration plan for any student who is admitted early to kindergarten, offered whole grade acceleration or acceleration in one or more individual subject areas.
Questions? Contact: Courtney Collins