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    #21022 07/23/08 12:22 PM
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    Mark D. Offline OP
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    Is anyone aware of any recent legislation that affects gifted education in your state? I am in the process of compiling our next eNews-Update (newsletter). We stay pretty much updated and in-the-know for the most part but there is the occasional legislation that slips through the cracks. smile

    Here is our most recent newsletter that includes legislation: http://news.ditd.org/April_08/eNews_April08_web.htm

    Also, find state-specific information on our Gifted State Policy map: http://www.davidsongifted.org/db/StatePolicy.aspx

    Thanks in advance!
    Mark

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    OHIO

    [ODE ruling not same as state legislation]

    Ohio Department of Education passed new "rules" for gt programs effective for 2008-09. Although our district is asking for a waiver until 09-10... Again there is a lot about identification... The most significant changes in our opinion is around actual services. While gt programs are not being mandated - if a district claims and collects for gt services that district must provide 225 minutes per week with a qualified person per service area the district is claiming services. A lot of the new gifted operating standards are suggestions - which i guess help move theory. But for some the 225 may help ... there is a bunch of other new rules too.

    See http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templ...741&ContentID=7642&Content=48715

    If that doesn't work go to Ohio Department of Education and search 'gifted rule march 2008.

    It begins with the info below.


    "Revised Operating Standards for Identifying and Serving Gifted Students, Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) 3301-51-15, were approved by the State Board of Education in March 2008 following numerous statewide research studies and broad stakeholder input. The new operating standards, effective July 1, 2008, significantly �raise the bar� for gifted education services provided by districts, while creating new flexibility in providing appropriate challenges and supports for gifted and talented students. With the new standards, important changes include:

    More specific requirements for the development and implementation of written education plans (WEPs) for gifted students;
    Increased flexibility in class sizes and student caseloads at upper grade levels; and
    Specific contact time requirements for students in services provided by gifted intervention specialists...."

    Last edited by kickball; 07/23/08 06:08 PM.
    #21388 07/27/08 03:37 AM
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    Go Ohio!
    They've got grade-skip legislation to, if I remember correctly. ((standing ovation))
    I'll bet 225 minutes a week would be a lovely help a PG kid if they were skipped enough so that the rest of the day was a good fit.

    Smiles,
    Grinity


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    What's "grade-skip legislation"? Legislation mandating grade-skips somehow? I've never heard of any such thing, and I'm intrigued!


    Kriston
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    Hold onto the yahoo. My understanding is that every district (not sure if that is - every district - or every district with a state paid gifted services) must have an acceleration policy. Grinity what do you hear? Having a policy doesn't mean it is a yes. And as for the 225 .. our district is requesting a waiver not to implement until 09-10 (which may not actually be bad since they would have dropped from 3 service areas to 1 so hoping it is to figure out how to offer 225 with 3 areas still served). I digress.

    The important thing for folks to remember IMHO is that grade skipping can help and serves some. However, access to harder work is a band-aid only if that hard work is then repitious. The gt kid will be challenged for a time but it still isn't a gt education. Ouch. I gotta get my glass half full fingers out! I get a bone and then I want a four course dinner.

    But ODE here in OHIO is saying all the right things. So the optimist in me is hoping at some point in the nearer term - the state will back local districts - and ODE intentions with some actual funding. Otherwise it is more - you ought to - with the districts throwing their hands in the air saying - great but how?

    Goes to another thread of belief that districts aren't fighting against us (in all cases) but how do we make what is the right choice feasible.

    Cleveland's city paper had a great article today about NCLB.

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    Can anyone explain to me what a WEP (written educational plan) should look like?

    DS has been in the gifted program for over two years now, and we have yet to see one. Is it something generic, as in a school's plan for all of the gifted services, or is it something that is tailored to each child? I've asked around, and none of the other parents of gifted kids in my DS's school have seen a WEP either.

    Has anyone from Ohio been lucky enough to spot this rare and endangered species?


    Mom to DS12 and DD3
    ebeth #21470 07/29/08 04:07 AM
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    Yes, GS9(birthday last week!)got a WEP a couple months AFTER he started in the gifted program. It's a form that has a few things written in, such as: the state/school definition of how to qualify as 'gifted'; how the child qualifies-by achievement tests, IQ test, etc; what the school is providing (pull out program of 5 hours every 2 weeks); seems like there was something else but I can't remember.

    The gifted services vary among the elementary buildings within our district. One elementary has an hour pullout every day with a teacher. Another teacher covers 2 other elementary buildings and we only get 5 hours/every 2 weeks, every Tuesday & Friday, and every other Wednesday. The other elementary she covers has their pullouts on the other days. I have to wonder if the one elementary gets double the gifted service time because that's where most of the university professor's kids go....naaaahhhh, they wouldn't blatantly discriminate like that, would they???

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    BTW, I found our schools 'ByLaws and Policies' at www.neola.com.
    Here is part of their gifted policy:
    Quote
    The Board of Education recognizes that the personal, social, physical, and educational growth of children will vary and that they should be placed in the educational setting most appropriate to their needs at the various stages of their growth.

    It shall be the policy of the Board that each student be moved forward in a continuous pattern of achievement and growth that is in harmony with his/her own development.

    Such pattern should coincide with the system of grade levels established by this Board and the instructional objectives established for each.

    A student will be promoted to the succeeding grade level when s/he has:

    A. completed the course and State-mandated requirements at the presently assigned grade;

    B. in the opinion of the professional staff, achieved the instructional objectives set for the present grade;

    C. demonstrated the degree of social, emotional, and physical maturation necessary for a successful learning experience in the next grade.


    A student may be accelerated when his/her demonstrated achievement, as well as measured ability, significantly exceeds that of his/her grade level peers. Consideration may be given to promoting him/her to a grade other than the next succeeding one, or permitting him/her to enroll in a course other than the next one in the academic sequence. A student will be accelerated in this manner when s/he has:

    A. achieved the grade/course objectives and State-mandated requirements, if applicable, for the grade/course in which s/he is presently enrolled as well as for the grades(s)/course(s) that will be skipped;

    B. in the opinion of the professional staff, achieved the instructional objectives set for the present grade/course as well as the succeeding one(s);

    C. demonstrated sufficient proficiency to permit him/her to be accelerated in the educational program;

    D. demonstrated the degree of social, emotional, and physical maturation necessary for a successful learning experience in the grade/course to which s/he will be promoted or enrolled.

    Sounds great, doesn't it?

    There very next line says:
    Quote
    However, following sound principles of child development, the Board discourages the skipping of grades.

    It goes on to discuss retention(failing), and some terms I think could be used to support acceleration:
    Quote
    A student may be retained at his/her current grade level when s/he has in the opinion of the professional staff, failed to achieve the instructional objectives set forth at the current grade level that are requisite for success at the succeeding grade level.

    A student may be placed at the next grade level when retention would no longer serve any good purpose.

    The Superintendent shall develop administrative guidelines for promotion, acceleration, placement, and retention of students that may include:

    A. a requirement for the recommendation of the relevant staff members for promotion, acceleration placement, or retention;

    B. a requirement that parents are informed in advance of the possibility of retention of a student at a grade level;

    C. require that the parent(s) give their consent to the acceleration of their child;

    D. assurance that every effort will be made to remediate the student's difficulties before s/he is retained;

    E. require that a student be retained if s/he is truant for 10% or more of the required school days and has failed at least two (2) courses of study, unless the principal and the teachers of the failed subjects determine that the student is academically prepared to be promoted;

    F. assigning the final responsibility for determining the promotion, acceleration, assignment, or retention of each student to the building administrator.

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    Happy birthday, GS9! Thanks for the info, OHG. I've missed you! smile


    Kriston
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    skipping represents lost revenue to school districts. Say they get $6000/yr/student. If 10 kids skip each year, it adds up. If one kid skips a few grades it adds up. Also, they worry about NCLB. They can't risk that the kid will not test proficient. Even for very smart kids (and adults!) some of the test questions I've heard are convoluted! I think about DS 6 who will take his first CRT exam this year in 3rd grade. He is HG, but he'll likely come up against confusing questions and stupid acronyms/expressions he's never heard that will frustrate him.

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