Gifted Identification and Enrichment Services

Welcome to Gifted Education Identification and Enrichment Services, where we are committed to providing a supportive and inclusive learning environment that fosters creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills for our gifted students. Our district recognizes that gifted students have special educational needs that require differentiated instruction, and our classroom teachers regularly provide open-ended lessons that students can take beyond the state standards and explore topics and sovle problems at higher levels. Additionally, we provide Afterschool Enrichment Clubs at our eight elementary schools to further challenge identified gifted students in grades 4-6 with rigorous academic opportunities that align with their interests and abilities. At our middle school and high school campuses, we provide gifted service through our Honors, Advanced Placement, and College Credit Plus courses and enrichment opportunities through participation in school clubs, fine arts programs, and athletic teams.

Andre Gendreau

District Gifted Coordinator

513-887-5000 ext. 4454

Cassandra Thompson

Secretary

513-887-5000 ext. 4501

Testing, Screening, and Identification

Public school districts in Ohio are required to administer whole-grade screenings once during the K–2 grade band and once during the 3–6 grade band to evaluate students for giftedness in the areas of superior cognition, reading, math, and creative thinking. Additionally, districts must offer a Fall and Spring window to test students recommended for gifted testing by their teacher, principal, or parent.

To help districts identify these student populations, the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) provides lists of approved assessments for the prescreening and identification of gifted students. The HCSD Gifted ID and Service Plan Gifted and Talented Evaluation outlines the assessments and procedures our district uses to identify and serve gifted students. This document was last updated on October 31, 2019, to reflect the use of the NWEA MAP Assessments to screen students for gifted identification in the areas of Reading and Math in grades 2-8 and to prescreen students at grades K-1.

We continue to use the CogAT Assessments to screen and identify students at grades 2 and 6 to help determine if a student is a superior cognitive gifted student, and it will serve as the first assessment in the process of identifying gifted creative thinkers. Students meeting the creative thinking score threshold on the CogAT will have a follow-up creativity scale/survey sent to their classroom teachers to complete (Scales for Rating the Behavior Characteristics of Superior Students (SRBCSS) – Part II Creativity). If the students meet the qualifying scores on the CogAT and Creativity Scale outlined in the HCSD Gifted ID and Service Plan Gifted and Talented Evaluation, they will be identified as a gifted creative thinker.

Enrichment Opportunities and Services

Elementary School

Middle School

Hamiton Middle School provides gifted service options for students who are identified in math, reading, science, social studies, cognitive ability, and creative thinking. Gifted identified students in seventh and eighth grade may be served through the following academic courses

Grade 7

Honors English
Honors Math
Honors Science
Honors World History

Grade 8

Honors English
Honors Algebra I
Honors Science
Honors American History

High School

Hamiton's High School Campuses provide gifted service options for students who are identified in math, reading, science, social studies, cognitive ability, creative thinking, and visual and performing arts. Gifted identified students at the high school level may be served through the following academic courses:

Honors

Honors English I
Honors English II
Honors Algebra II
Honors Geometry
Honors Biology
Honors Chemistry
Honors World History
Honors French III
Honors Spanish III

Advanced Placment

AP Art Studio
AP Music Theory
AP Environmental Science
AP Chemistry
AP Physics

College Credit Plus

CCP English Composition I
CCP English Composition II
CCP College Algebra
CCP Pre-Calculus
CCP Calculus and Analytic Geometry
CCP Introduction to Statistics
CCP Biology
CCP United States History I
CCP United States History II
CCP Western Civilization I
CCP Western Civilization II
CCP American Federal Government
CCP State and Local Government
CCP Introduction to Criminal Justice
CCP Psychology
CCP Sociology
CCP Introduction to Education

* Additional CCP Courses are available through online and local colleges and universities.

Regional Enrichment AND Opportunites LIST for Gifted Students provided by the Hamilton County ESC

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Acceleration Guidelines

We believe that every child has unique learning needs and should receive an education that meets their specific requirements. For those students who exceed the academic standards set for their grade level, we provide access to advanced curriculum to encourage them to reach their full potential and contribute to society.

Our district policy outlines the process for evaluating students for accelerated placement, early admission to kindergarten, early high school graduation, and individual subject acceleration. Referrals can be made by teachers, administrators, parents, or guardians of the student, gifted education specialists, or school psychologists.

The evaluation committee, which includes the principal or assistant principal, the student's current teacher, a teacher from the grade level to which the student may be accelerated, the student's parent or legal guardian or a representative, and a gifted education coordinator or specialist, will determine the most appropriate learning environment for the referred student.

We ensure that all staff and parents have access to our policy and referral forms for evaluation. The evaluation process includes obtaining written permission from the student's parent or legal guardian, and the student is evaluated within 60 or more days prior to the start of the school year or second semester.

If the evaluation committee recommends acceleration, the student is placed in the accelerated setting at the recommended time. Parents or legal guardians are notified of the outcome of the evaluation process within 45 days and can appeal the decision to the local Superintendent within 30 days.

We are committed to supporting all students, including advanced learners, and providing them with the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Academic Acceleration, Early Entrance to Kindergarten, and Early High School Graduation Policy

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