Gifted Services

An appeal by the parent/guardian is the reconsideration of the results of any part of the identification process, which would include the screening procedure or assessment instrument, scheduling of a child for assessment, placement of a student in any program, and/or receipt of services. Parents/Guardians should submit a letter to the superintendent outlining the nature of the concern. The superintendent will convene a meeting with the parent/guardian, which may include other school personnel. The superintendent or designee will issue a written final decision within 30 days of the appeal. This written notice should include the reason(s) for the decision. 

Students identified as gifted in reading, math, science, social studies, or superior cognitive ability are served in Honors, Advanced Placement, and/or College Credit Plus classes at Findlay High School. Students eligible for these classes include students who achieved the following scores on a recent Ohio Department of Education approved achievement assessment. 

9th grade Honors English Language Arts,  Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies  classes:

• Achievement:  Score at or above the 80th percentile on an approved reading/language arts, mathematics, science, or social studies  achievement test, or
• Cognitive:  Score two standard deviations above the mean minus the standard error of measurement on an intelligence test; or perform at or above the 95th percentile on a basic or composite battery of a nationally normed achievement test.

10th - 12th Grade Honors and Advanced Placement classes:

• Students having taken prerequisite classes may continue on with the next course.

College Credit Plus courses are available for the students.
 

Identification

Findlay City Schools follows the identification eligibility criteria as specified in Ohio law.  The District identifies gifted students in kindergarten through grade 12 as those who perform at remarkably high levels of accomplishment when compared to other students of the same age, experience, or environment, as identified under Ohio law.

 Accordingly, a student can be identified as exhibiting:

• Superior cognitive ability

• Specific academic ability in one or more of the following content areas:

  • Mathematics;

  • Science;

• Reading, writing or a combination of these skills; and/or

• Social studies

• Creative thinking ability 

• Visual or performing arts ability such as drawing, painting, sculpting, music, dance or drama.

English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies Middle School Clusters
Middle school students who are identified as gifted in reading, mathematics, science, social studies, and/or  superior cognitive abilities or score at or above the 80 percentile on a state approved assessment in each particular subject are placed in a middle school cluster. 

• Achievement:  Score at or above the 95th percentile on an approved reading/language arts achievement test, mathematics, science, social studies, or score at or above the 80 percentile rank on a state approved assessment
• Cognitive:  Score two standard deviations above the mean minus the standard error of measurement on an intelligence test; or perform at or above the 95th percentile on a basic or composite battery of a nationally normed achievement test.
   

Findlay City Schools ensures equal opportunity for all students identified as gifted to receive services offered by the district. Equal access is provided via whole group testing in grades 2 and 5. Students in grades 3 - 10 take the Star Reading three times per year. 

The  pre-assessment  part  of  the  process  involves gathering  student  data  from  a  variety  of  sources including  teacher,  parent/guardian,  peer  nominations, grades,  portfolios,  observations,  review  of  student records,  and  outstanding  products  or  performances. All  students  are  involved  in  the  pre-assessment  stage. By  using  the  pre-assessment  process,  the  district ensures  equal  access  to  screening  children,  including minority  or  disadvantaged  students,  students  with disabilities,  and  English  learners. 

The Findlay City Schools ensures that any child transferring into our district is assessed within 90 days of the transfer at the request of the parent/guardian. Parents/ Guardians share gifted information at the Welcome Center and/or contact the building principal who contacts the Gifted Coordinator. 

All  District  gifted  education  services  are  delivered  in accordance  with  Ohio  law. 

The Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices or Cognitive Abilities Test Non-Verbal Battery is used to assess students who are minority, disadvantaged students, have a disability, and/or English learners. School psychologists administer the non-verbal component in the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fifth Edition to students with physical and/or sensory disabilities. Findlay City Schools has not needed to give a test to a student in his/her native language, but if the need arises we will find someone to give the test who speaks the child’s language. 

STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) is a one-day a week pull-out program for students (grades 3 - 5) who are identified as gifted in math, science, and/or superior cognitive ability. Criteria used for gifted identification and STEAM placement include:

• Achievement:  Score at or above the 95th percentile on an Ohio approved math or science achievement test; and/or
• Cognitive:  Score two standard deviations above the mean minus the standard error of measurement on an intelligence test; or perform at or above the 95th percentile on a basic or composite battery of a nationally normed achievement test.
   

Gifted coordinators, trained professionals, and school psychologists give tests individually or in small groups to potentially gifted students using tests on the Ohio Department of Education approved list of tests. 

If  at  any  time,  a  student  wishes  to  withdraw  from gifted  programs  or  services,  the  request  is  written  by the  parent/guardian  or  child  to  the  gifted  coordinator. If  a  child  requests  to  withdraw,  parents/guardians  are notified. 

Every student who is identified as gifted and in STEAM, advanced middle school classes, Advanced Placement, Honors, or College Credit Plus classes has a Written Education Plan (WEP).  

The WEP:

• provides a description of the services provided,
• lists individual goals the student will work on throughout the year, 
• indicates how progress will be evaluated, and
• includes a schedule for reporting progress to parents and a deadline date for the next review.

The Gifted Intervention Specialist or teacher trained as a gifted services provider ensures delivery of services in the program. The waiver of assignments and rescheduling of tests policy is included on the child’s WEP. Parents/guardians receive a copy of the WEP listing the staff responsible for the listed service.
 

Findlay Enrichment Program, Inc. was established to actively support and encourage educational enrichment programs for children in the Findlay City Schools.

• Findlay Enrichment Programs, Inc. (FEP) is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization established in 1988.
• Members include parents and others concerned with advocating for and supporting educational enrichment programs.
• FEP works in partnership with the Findlay City Schools and area businesses to encourage, develop, and coordinate a variety of classes, events, and programs held within the schools and community.
• The governing board is comprised of primary, intermediate, and middle school parents.
• Parental involvement is welcomed at monthly board meetings each month, September-May.
• FEP supports the existing FCS programs and the need for further options for all identified students along with talented students not identified by state guidelines.
• FEP is an affiliate member of the Ohio Association for Gifted Children www.oagc.com.

Please find more information at Ohio Department of Education - Gifted Education by clicking on Topics:  Gifted Education.

Findlay City Schools Coordinator of Gifted Education

Kelly Wohlgamuth
419-425-8296
kwohlgamuth@fcs.org

Lameice Kenny, Administrative Assistant
419-427-5495
lkenny@fcs.org