By Sherry Larson
People’s Defender
Janice Day, Gifted and Education Coordinator at Adams County Ohio Valley School District, wants people to understand Talented and Gifted education. Day and her team created a pamphlet describing in “layperson” terms how a gifted student is identified, what services are available, what it means to be served, and the differences between high academic achievers and talented and gifted students.
A student who identifies as gifted in a specific academic area, such as reading, or math is referred to as gifted in Inquiring Minds in Motion (IMM). To distinguish those students, they are given an achievement test at grade levels 2 and 4. “Students who score in the 95th percentile or higher are identified as talented and gifted in a specific academic area.” Once recognized, these students are eligible to receive gifted services from the district. Students may be referred for individual assessment for gifted services.
In the Creative Thinking (CT) category, the district administers a two-step process to determine a student’s cognitive and creative ability. These students tend to think “out of the box” and come up with new concepts and comprehensions when presented with existing information. These abilities include:
• Fluency, flexibility, and originality of thought,
• Being open to new experiences and ideas,
• Being curious,
• Being willing to take risks, and
• Being sensitive to aesthetic characteristics.
A student who is gifted creatively may not display high academic performance but be more “open to new experiences, persevering, nonconforming, and intellectually and emotionally independent.”
Some students are considered gifted in Visual and Performing Arts (VPA). Day said, “This year is the first in my career as a Gifted Education Coordinator or gifted teacher that we had students identified as gifted in the Visual and Performing Arts. This year, the district has three young ladies who will undergo a rather strenuous process. First, the student must obtain a referral from an exceptional artist in their area of expertise. Second, they are tested and must receive a specific rating. Lastly, they must display their work. The presentation must include at least five pieces of their art that will be judged to determine their gifted status.
Many people have heard about the TAG program (Talented and Gifted). These students are acknowledged as gifted in the superior cognitive domain (IQ). A screening test for grade levels 2 and 4 assesses students’ giftedness. If they score in the 95th percentile or higher, they are considered gifted in the superior cognitive domain. “Students identified in this domain in grades 3-8 are eligible to receive gifted serves offered by the OVSD.” Students may be referred for individual assessment for gifted services.
A gifted student is “served” if they receive instruction that meets the criteria set forth by the Ohio Department of Education. This instruction may include self-contained classroom instruction one day a week, higher level curriculum, enrollment and completion of CCP courses, accelerated coursework, or distinctive curriculum and an independent study or project.
Day explains, “There is a difference between gifted and talented. Giftedness is an outstanding potential ability. Being identified as gifted and talented is present outstanding abilities. So, if a child is gifted and talented in an area, they are already exhibiting skills above their peers.” The district offers Enrichment activities or instruction for those who show elevated abilities but aren’t identified as gifted and talented in any area. Day explains, “Enrichment allows students to learn richer, deeper, more varied content with a focus on talent development.”
Day also wants to clarify that high achiever students are not necessarily considered gifted. “Being gifted denotes intellectual ability, a trait that may or may not translate into high academic performance.” High achievers tend to be highly motivated but only sometimes gifted. A gifted student who feels bored or unchallenged at school may even be an underachiever. Day said, ”They may not look like the perfect student, and the vision we have of someone being gifted.”
Only some people deemed gifted receive gifted services from the district. These services are optional, and a student can opt-out. Services may only be available for some areas and grade levels. The Gifted Program at ACOVSD’s “goal is to provide services to as many gifted students as possible with the staff and resources available.”
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