1. How does Oregon Revised Statues define a gifted and talented student?
"Talented and Gifted" children means those children who require special educational programs or services, or both, beyond those normally provided by the regular school program in order to realize their contribution to self and society and who demonstrate outstanding ability or potential in various categories identified in Oregon Revised Statutes 343.391 to 343.413.
2. How should students be identified?
The regulations require that students be compared to their chronological peers in the Silver Falls School District (SFSD). Oregon does not have state-level criteria such as mandated tests or assessments, grade point averages, or IQ scores. Therefore, the SFSD uses multiple measures to identify students.
3. What does the state mean by “multiple measures?”
The SFSD Boards of Education makes provisions for an ongoing K-12 identification process for gifted and talented students that includes multiple measures, including but not limited to, achievement test scores; grades; student performance or products; intelligence testing; parent, student, and/or teacher recommendation; and other appropriate measures. The SFSD ensures that the identification methodology is developmentally appropriate, nondiscriminatory, and related to the programs and services offered (e.g., using math achievement to identify students for a math program).
4. What services are required?
The SFSD has a board-approved gifted and talented identification process and provide services for identified students enrolled in the grades of that school district. The regulations require that identification and services be made available to students in grades K-12.
5. When should districts identify students for giftedness?
ORS 343.407 states, "School districts shall identify talented and gifted students enrolled in public schools under rules adopted by the State Board of Education [1987 c.337 3; 1993 c.45 225]. SFSD follows these rules.
6. Can a student be gifted in more than one content area?
Yes. SFSD uses appropriate and multiple measures to identify students, and it is likely that some students will be identified as having multiple strengths and services should be provided to address the identified strengths.
7. What types of instructional accommodations must be made for students identified as gifted and talented?
State of Oregon regulations require that district boards of education provide appropriate K-12 services for gifted and talented students. This includes appropriate curricular and instructional modifications for gifted and talented students indicating content, process, products, and learning environment. District boards of education must also take into consideration the PreK-Grade 12 National Gifted Program Standards of the National Association for Gifted Children in developing programs for gifted and talented students. A copy of those standards is available at www.nagc.org.
8. Does the state require a specific program or model for elementary or middle-level students?
No, the state does not endorse a particular program or model. Program models might include, but are not limited to, pull-out programs, classroom-based differentiated instruction, acceleration, flexible pacing, compacted curricula, distance learning, advanced classes, or individualized programs.
9. Can honors or Advanced Placement (AP) courses be used to satisfy the requirements at the high school level?
This is a local SFSD decision, and it is important to note that these courses may not address all areas of giftedness identified prior to high school. Silverton High School has an identification process and in some cases as established certain prerequisites for entrance into honors or AP courses. The State of Oregon does not define what constitutes an “honors” course.
10. Must gifted services be offered during the school day?
Appropriate adaptations are required in order to assist all students to achieve Oregon education standards. SFSD aims to ensure that curriculum and instruction are designed and delivered in such a way that all students are able to demonstrate the knowledge and skills specified by these education standards and shall ensure that appropriate instructional adaptations are designed and delivered for students with disabilities, for students with limited English proficiency, and for students who are gifted and talented. Meeting the needs of gifted students is not an extra-curricular activity or club but a requirement for SFSD schools.
11. Does the state or federal government provide funding for gifted programs?
The state does not provide specific, dedicated funds for gifted programs; however, the SFSD board of education may provide identification and services using state aid and local revenues.
12. Are local school districts obligated to accept the evaluation of a student’s giftedness from another state, school district, or independent service?
No. The SFSD board of education establishes the identification criteria, and students are compared to their chronological peers within the district. Therefore, the SFSD is not obligated to accept an out-of-district evaluation. However, new students, particularly those that have been identified as gifted in another setting, will be evaluated by the district in a timely manner.
13. What is “twice exceptional?”
Students who are identified as twice-exceptional may have learning disabilities that mask their giftedness. These students may require different identification methods and program modifications to reach their full potential. It should not be assumed that students with disabilities cannot participate in gifted and talented programs.
14. How should districts identify limited English proficient students?
Students with limited English proficiency (LEP) may be at a significant disadvantage when using more traditional identification methods. Students from disadvantaged households, ethnic minority students and LEP students are clearly underrepresented in gifted programs. SFSD is aware of this under-representation and actively works to identify all TAG students, regardless of gender, ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic group.
15. Does the state provide financial aid to K-12 gifted students to attend private schools?
No, the State of Oregon does not provide financial assistance to attend private schools or specialized programs for K-12 students.
16. How should gifted services be documented on a student’s transcript or report card?
Student performance should be documented as in any other course using grades, narratives, or other means. Unlike some states, Oregon does not require the use of an individualized education plan (IEP) for gifted students.
17. If I am unhappy with the services currently available to my child, what should I do?
It is important to have a clear understanding of SFSD district procedures and policies before expressing your concerns. Look at the student handbook and this website for information on the gifted program. Next, you should talk with your child’s teachers, the building principal, and the SFSD TAG coordinator before discussing your concerns with district administration. If your concerns are still not resolved, you should put your concerns in writing to the district administration.
18. Does the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) address the gifted child?
The federal government does not prescribe programs and services for gifted students (unlike special education). NCLB focuses on improving student achievement with particular emphasis on students in high-need schools. Gifted students are not a subgroup population examined under NCLB testing parameters.
19. Is federal funding available to support gifted education?
The only federal funds specifically earmarked for gifted education are the Javits Grants which support research centers. The Javits Grants is currently not a recipient of these funds.
20. What state or national organizations support the needs of gifted students? How can I contact them?
The Oregon Talented and Gifted page can be found here (http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/results/?id=76).
At the national level, the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) is an organization of parents, teachers, educators, other professionals, and community leaders who unite to address the unique needs of children and youth with demonstrated gifts and talents as well as those children who may be able to develop their talent potential with appropriate educational experiences. For further information on national efforts on behalf of gifted children, go tohttp://www.nagc.org/index.aspx?id=585&al.
21. I am looking for summer programs for my child. What’s available?
SFSD aims to provide information regarding summer enrichment programs for all students. One of the best-known national programs, the Summer Institute for the Gifted (SIG), began in 1984 with a single session in New Jersey, and has expanded over the past twenty-one summers to include eleven residential sessions in seven states and four-day programs. In 2008, SIG served close to two thousand academically gifted students in kindergarten through 11th grade. The mission of the Summer Institute for the Gifted (SIG) is to provide the highest quality educational and social opportunities for academically gifted and talented students through programs designed to meet their abilities and needs. For more information go to: http://www.giftedstudy.com/
"Talented and Gifted" children means those children who require special educational programs or services, or both, beyond those normally provided by the regular school program in order to realize their contribution to self and society and who demonstrate outstanding ability or potential in various categories identified in Oregon Revised Statutes 343.391 to 343.413.
2. How should students be identified?
The regulations require that students be compared to their chronological peers in the Silver Falls School District (SFSD). Oregon does not have state-level criteria such as mandated tests or assessments, grade point averages, or IQ scores. Therefore, the SFSD uses multiple measures to identify students.
3. What does the state mean by “multiple measures?”
The SFSD Boards of Education makes provisions for an ongoing K-12 identification process for gifted and talented students that includes multiple measures, including but not limited to, achievement test scores; grades; student performance or products; intelligence testing; parent, student, and/or teacher recommendation; and other appropriate measures. The SFSD ensures that the identification methodology is developmentally appropriate, nondiscriminatory, and related to the programs and services offered (e.g., using math achievement to identify students for a math program).
4. What services are required?
The SFSD has a board-approved gifted and talented identification process and provide services for identified students enrolled in the grades of that school district. The regulations require that identification and services be made available to students in grades K-12.
5. When should districts identify students for giftedness?
ORS 343.407 states, "School districts shall identify talented and gifted students enrolled in public schools under rules adopted by the State Board of Education [1987 c.337 3; 1993 c.45 225]. SFSD follows these rules.
6. Can a student be gifted in more than one content area?
Yes. SFSD uses appropriate and multiple measures to identify students, and it is likely that some students will be identified as having multiple strengths and services should be provided to address the identified strengths.
7. What types of instructional accommodations must be made for students identified as gifted and talented?
State of Oregon regulations require that district boards of education provide appropriate K-12 services for gifted and talented students. This includes appropriate curricular and instructional modifications for gifted and talented students indicating content, process, products, and learning environment. District boards of education must also take into consideration the PreK-Grade 12 National Gifted Program Standards of the National Association for Gifted Children in developing programs for gifted and talented students. A copy of those standards is available at www.nagc.org.
8. Does the state require a specific program or model for elementary or middle-level students?
No, the state does not endorse a particular program or model. Program models might include, but are not limited to, pull-out programs, classroom-based differentiated instruction, acceleration, flexible pacing, compacted curricula, distance learning, advanced classes, or individualized programs.
9. Can honors or Advanced Placement (AP) courses be used to satisfy the requirements at the high school level?
This is a local SFSD decision, and it is important to note that these courses may not address all areas of giftedness identified prior to high school. Silverton High School has an identification process and in some cases as established certain prerequisites for entrance into honors or AP courses. The State of Oregon does not define what constitutes an “honors” course.
10. Must gifted services be offered during the school day?
Appropriate adaptations are required in order to assist all students to achieve Oregon education standards. SFSD aims to ensure that curriculum and instruction are designed and delivered in such a way that all students are able to demonstrate the knowledge and skills specified by these education standards and shall ensure that appropriate instructional adaptations are designed and delivered for students with disabilities, for students with limited English proficiency, and for students who are gifted and talented. Meeting the needs of gifted students is not an extra-curricular activity or club but a requirement for SFSD schools.
11. Does the state or federal government provide funding for gifted programs?
The state does not provide specific, dedicated funds for gifted programs; however, the SFSD board of education may provide identification and services using state aid and local revenues.
12. Are local school districts obligated to accept the evaluation of a student’s giftedness from another state, school district, or independent service?
No. The SFSD board of education establishes the identification criteria, and students are compared to their chronological peers within the district. Therefore, the SFSD is not obligated to accept an out-of-district evaluation. However, new students, particularly those that have been identified as gifted in another setting, will be evaluated by the district in a timely manner.
13. What is “twice exceptional?”
Students who are identified as twice-exceptional may have learning disabilities that mask their giftedness. These students may require different identification methods and program modifications to reach their full potential. It should not be assumed that students with disabilities cannot participate in gifted and talented programs.
14. How should districts identify limited English proficient students?
Students with limited English proficiency (LEP) may be at a significant disadvantage when using more traditional identification methods. Students from disadvantaged households, ethnic minority students and LEP students are clearly underrepresented in gifted programs. SFSD is aware of this under-representation and actively works to identify all TAG students, regardless of gender, ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic group.
15. Does the state provide financial aid to K-12 gifted students to attend private schools?
No, the State of Oregon does not provide financial assistance to attend private schools or specialized programs for K-12 students.
16. How should gifted services be documented on a student’s transcript or report card?
Student performance should be documented as in any other course using grades, narratives, or other means. Unlike some states, Oregon does not require the use of an individualized education plan (IEP) for gifted students.
17. If I am unhappy with the services currently available to my child, what should I do?
It is important to have a clear understanding of SFSD district procedures and policies before expressing your concerns. Look at the student handbook and this website for information on the gifted program. Next, you should talk with your child’s teachers, the building principal, and the SFSD TAG coordinator before discussing your concerns with district administration. If your concerns are still not resolved, you should put your concerns in writing to the district administration.
18. Does the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) address the gifted child?
The federal government does not prescribe programs and services for gifted students (unlike special education). NCLB focuses on improving student achievement with particular emphasis on students in high-need schools. Gifted students are not a subgroup population examined under NCLB testing parameters.
19. Is federal funding available to support gifted education?
The only federal funds specifically earmarked for gifted education are the Javits Grants which support research centers. The Javits Grants is currently not a recipient of these funds.
20. What state or national organizations support the needs of gifted students? How can I contact them?
The Oregon Talented and Gifted page can be found here (http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/results/?id=76).
At the national level, the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) is an organization of parents, teachers, educators, other professionals, and community leaders who unite to address the unique needs of children and youth with demonstrated gifts and talents as well as those children who may be able to develop their talent potential with appropriate educational experiences. For further information on national efforts on behalf of gifted children, go tohttp://www.nagc.org/index.aspx?id=585&al.
21. I am looking for summer programs for my child. What’s available?
SFSD aims to provide information regarding summer enrichment programs for all students. One of the best-known national programs, the Summer Institute for the Gifted (SIG), began in 1984 with a single session in New Jersey, and has expanded over the past twenty-one summers to include eleven residential sessions in seven states and four-day programs. In 2008, SIG served close to two thousand academically gifted students in kindergarten through 11th grade. The mission of the Summer Institute for the Gifted (SIG) is to provide the highest quality educational and social opportunities for academically gifted and talented students through programs designed to meet their abilities and needs. For more information go to: http://www.giftedstudy.com/