Gifted Education
What is Gifted Education?
Gifted education serves students who perform or show potential for high levels of accomplishment compared to peers of similar age or background. Under Ohio law, students may be identified in one or more of these areas:
- Superior Cognitive Ability
- Specific Academic Ability: including mathematics, science, social studies, and/or reading/writing.
- Creative Thinking Ability
- Visual or Performing Arts Ability
How Are Students Identified?
a) Screening
- Edison Local Schools conduct whole-grade screenings for all students in grades 2 and 5.
- Students in grades 2-8 are screened for Math & Reading at benchmarks throughout the school year.
- Once identified, a student retains that status permanently, even if later performance fluctuates.
b) Approved Assessments
- Edison Local Schools use the following Ohio approved assessments for identification: (See more Gifted Identification Categories)
- CogAt (Cognitive Abilities Test)
- IOWA Assessment
- Gifted and Talented Evaluation Scales, Second Edition (GATES-2)
- NWEA MAP Growth in Reading & Math
What Happens Next: Services and Supports
a) Written Education Plan (WEP)
- Each identified student receives a WEP developed by a licensed gifted educator. It includes learning goals, service methods, assessment metrics, and assigned staff roles. Families receive a copy of this plan through the online program SAMEGoal to sign and/or give input on the WEP.
b) Delivery of Services
- Elementary School Offerings:
- Grades 2-6: Students receive services through a cluster grouping where they work on Project Lead the Way Modules. Students take part in engaging, hands-on activities and projects that connect to real-world situations. Each experience builds on what they’ve learned before and brings together areas like computer science, engineering, and biomedical science. Even our youngest learners use their math and reading skills, explore science aligned to standards, and develop important abilities that support learning in every subject.
- Middle School Offerings:
- Grade 7 advanced coursework opportunities
- Students are placed in a subject accelerated (honors) program for each of the four core subject areas based on their area(s) of identification.
- 7th & 8th grade curriculum is compacted for each subject area.
- Grade 8 advanced coursework opportunities
- Students are placed in a subject accelerated (honors) program for each of the four core subject areas based on their area(s) of identification.
- Students complete content at a 9th grade level and receive high school credit for each course that is successfully completed.
- Students who have a 3.0 high school GPA or pass the accuplacer test have the opportunity to be enrolled in College Credit Plus courses and earn both high school and college credit at the same time for each course successfully completed.
- Grade 7 advanced coursework opportunities
- High School Offerings
- Students are placed in a subject accelerated (honors) program for each of the four core subject areas based on their area(s) of identification.
- Students who have a 3.0 high school GPA or pass the accuplacer test have the opportunity to be enrolled in College Credit Plus courses and earn both high school and college credit at the same time for each course successfully completed.
Acceleration
Forms of formal acceleration include whole grade, subject-specific, early entrance to kindergarten, and early graduation and follow the approved school board policies.
Acceleration decisions are made by an acceleration committee, including administration, teachers, and parents. If acceleration is recommended, a Written Acceleration Plan is completed for the student. The WAP is only completed for the first year of acceleration.
A transition period is automatically put in place for recommended accelerations to test the placement. If the student is successful, the acceleration is finalized and the student remains in the accelerated placement barring any extenuating circumstances.
