Wednesday, February 02, 2000Lakota aims to identify gifted kids
Schools submit plan required by Columbus
BY SUE KIESEWETTER
Enquirer ContributorUNION TOWNSHIP — Twice a year, the Lakota Schools will test students who parents or teachers think could be gifted — part of an effort to identify such students throughout their years in school.
Although Lakota has always tested children, it has never done so for very young children, said Sue Clover, Lakota's director of gifted education and enrichment.
The change is in response to a new state lawthat requires school districts to have a plan in place to identify children from kindergarten through senior year in high school. Copies of the plan and board policy were due in Columbus on Tuesday.
“The plan as written will meet the mandates as outlined by the Ohio Department of Education. It is not what I would put together, but it meets state requirements,” Ms. Clover said before Monday's approval of the policy and plan by the Lakota Board of Education.
Lakota's plan will rely heavily on a pre-screening process before state-approved, standardized tests, particularly for children in second grade and younger, Ms. Clover said.
Those children will be screened and tested individually by teachers in the Scopeprogram for gifted students, retired Scope volunteers and reading teachers. Largely, that's being done because testing young children is difficult. Each teacher will be given a list of 10 characteristics of gifted children, along with at least three activities per grade level in 10 categories.
“These will provide enrichment for all, but (the gifted) kids will really stand out,” Ms. Clover said.
The district will rely on more standardized tests when identifying older students, particularly those in junior and senior high schools, Ms. Clover said. The plan includes an appeal process.
“Much of what the law requires, we're already doing,” Ms. Clover said.
On Feb. 14, a separate committee that has been looking at the gifted program for 13 months will present its findings and recommendations to the board. A plan is due in Columbus by November, Ms. Clover said.
Last year, 3,433 students were identified as being gifted in at least one subject area, Ms. Clover said.
“I'm tired of looking at things in terms of state mandates,” said board member Dan Warncke. “I'm glad we're taking what the state mandates, embracing it and then saying, "This is Lakota.'”
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