Gifted Student Policy

By Auer, Karen on October 18, 2017

GIFTED STUDENT PROGRAM

 

 

The Oklahoma Union Board of Education recognizes that gifted and talented students deserve an education commensurate with their capabilities and that educational programs are necessary for these gifted children as defined in Oklahoma Statutes Section 1210.307 of Title 70.

 

Therefore, it is the policy of the Board of Education to cooperate fully with the State Department of Education in identifying gifted and talented children and in developing appropriate educational programs.  The goal of the Oklahoma Union Public School system is to enhance the quality of education for the gifted and talented students within the school system with the following objectives in mind:

 

            To encourage each student to develop self-initiated learning.

            To allow each student to pursue individuals interests.

            To enable each student to develop divergent thinking skills.

            To allow each student to develop career awareness.

 

Students in this district will be considered for placement in the program in accordance with scores on standardized achievement and intelligence tests, records, and recommendations of teachers and parents.

 

Students identified as gifted and talented will be offered gifted and talented educational programs directly through the facilities of this district.

 

 

REGULATIONS

 

Gifted and talented children are those who are identified by professionally qualified persons and who, by virtue of outstand abilities, and are capable of high performance.  These are children who require differentiated educational programs and/or services beyond those normally provided by “regular school programs” in order to realize their contributions to self and society.  Students are selected because they have special needs, not because they are superior.  No one can be labeled “non-gifted”.  Programs may be developed so that the regular classroom includes some degree of differentiation for the gifted, then no student need be excluded from some services.  Oklahoma Union Gifted and Talented Programs will serve students with “general intellectual” talents and gifts.

 

 

SCREENING PROCEDURES:

 

The following may be considered for the nomination or screening of students for the program:

 

1. Referrals – Professional, peer, parents, self
2. Achievement test scores
3. Scales, inventories, checklists
4. Transfers from other schools

 

 

 

PLACEMENT:

 

Final placement in the program will be determined by the placement committee considering those students who score in the top three percent (97) or above on a group nationally standardized test of intellectual ability.  To allow for the unbiased assessment of all cultural and economic backgrounds, a committee decision for placement may be made based on referral, student product or performance, appropriate checklists, and other relevant information.

 

 

PROCEDURAL SAFEGUARDS:

 

1. Permission from parents for group evaluation and for placement:
   1. Written parental permission will be secured for group evaluation and    final placement or refusal in the gifted program.
   2. Parents shall have the right to request, receive, and review all relevant records and be informed of the result of the evaluation.
   3. All relevant records shall be kept confidential.

 

2. Additional testing will be made upon request of the parents and will be limited to Otis-Lennen.  A school counselor with parental permission will give this.

 

3. Appeals regarding placement are limited to additional testing or retesting.

 

4. The district will accept test scores in the top three percent (3%) on any nationally standardized test of intellectual ability.

 

5. Students received from other schools outside Oklahoma Union School may be admitted to the gifted program provided previous evaluations meet the criteria from placement in the Oklahoma Union Gifted and Talented Program.  If not, the student will be screened using standard placement procedures of Oklahoma Union Public School.

 

6. Students placed in the gifted program will be reviewed by the placement committee after grades five and eight by the placement committee.  Ongoing evaluation may be based on students who are not productive in a program option.  Alternative program options may be considered to meet the needs of the students.

 

7. A student removed from the gifted program by a parent must be by written parental request.  Oklahoma Union School shall have the option to remove students from the gifted/talented program when it is considered to be in the best interest of the student and the school following a conference with the student’s parents.

 

 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:

 

Gifted and talented students in grades one through twelve in the district may be served in one or more of the following ways:

            Differentiated curriculum in the regular classroom

            Enrichment in the regular classroom

            Seminars and convocations

            Learning center

Competitions including, but not limited to, academic competitions, science fair competitions, and speech competitions

            Guidance and counseling

            Concurrent enrollment

            Career education

            Acceleration

            Advance placement

 

Future options being considered are cluster grouping for grades one through three and credit examination.

 

 

PARENTAL NOTIFICATION:

 

The school district shall notify in writing the parents of each child identified as gifted.  The district shall also provide each parent with a summary of the program to be offered the child.

 

 

 

 

2023/2024 

Oklahoma Union School District

 Gifted and Talented Advisory Council

 

1. Karen Auer, GT Coordinator
2. Megan Robbins, ES Counselor
3. Valarie Collier, GT Assistant
4. Rusty Sellars, HS Administrator
5. Levi Robbins, MS Administrator
6. Angelia Murphy, ES Administrator
7. Sadie McKinney, HS Staff
8. Eric Bates, HS/MS Staff
9. Tenae Dick, ES Staff / Parent
10. Ashley Collier, ES Staff / Parent 
11. Angie Campos, MS Parent