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Gifted Parent Resources
Resources for Parents of Gifted & Talented Students
Understanding Gifted Education: Facts for Parents
Who is “Gifted” in Ohio?
Gifted students are defined in the Ohio Revised Code (3324.01) as those who perform or show potential for performing at remarkably high levels of accomplishment when compared to others of their age, experience or environment.
Identification
All public schools in Ohio, with the exception of “community schools,” are required to identify gifted students. Students are identified as gifted in one or more of four major categories: superior cognitive ability; specific academic ability; creative thinking ability; and visual or performing arts ability. There are four fields included in specific academic ability: mathematics; science; social studies; and reading or writing, or a combination of these two skills.
Gifted Services
Although districts are required to identify gifted students, school districts are not required to provide gifted education services. Currently, the state provides school districts with partial funding for identifying gifted students and employing or contracting gifted education staff.
It is recommended that districts provide a “continuum of services” to serve the diverse needs of gifted students. School district may use a variety of approaches to address the unique learning needs of gifted students, including: offering advanced courses; enrichment programs in “resource rooms;” differentiated instruction in regular classrooms with support from a gifted intervention specialist; and Advanced Placement (AP) courses. Services also may include individualized opportunities such as mentorships, internships and educational options. Districts that provide gifted services must provide equitable access to those services based on written criteria. Click here for a Gifted Fact Sheet