[Ohiogift] Article on Gifted in Butler County inadvertenly exposes flaws in the new gifted operating standard draft

[anngift at aol.com]

The following link is to a story about how gifted fare in Butler County. There are several sentences that reveal some of the major flaws in the new draft of the gifted operating standards. 

http://www.middletownjournal.com/news/news/districts-vary-programs-for-gifted-learners/nZmxj/

The two sentences expose the underbelly of the problem of the new draft: 


>>The Hamilton City School District has about 789 students identified as gifted in grades K-12, said Jeff Mallicote, gifted coordinator. Its gifted student growth was graded an ‘F’ on the state report card.
The district offers formal gifted services in grades seven through 12. About 300 students opt for advanced placement and honors courses, Mallicote said.>>


Ann's comment -- First, it should be know that Hamilton City RIF'd the real gifted coordinator a few years ago. Any formal gifted services that were for grades K - 8 were fully cut last year. (Here is the Middletown Journal article on that http://www.middletownjournal.com/news/news/local/cuts-force-schools-to-nix-gifted-programs/nMz4j/ ).  The services offered are those available to all students in high school. The new gifted coordinator just received his gifted license. He is also the biology teacher. I am assuming he was put in the role of gifted coordinator on a temporary license when the district cut the former coordinator. The new draft standards would not require any gifted licensure for the gifted coordinator. The gym teacher or the secretary could be quoted next year as the next gifted coordinator. It is no surprise that value-added is an F for students in grades 4-8. There are no services. It is too bad that the reporter didn't focus on that. 



>>As a precursor to the gifted program, students in grades five and six have the option for after-school enrichment one hour every Monday, Mallicote said.>>

Ann's comment -- A one hour per week after-school program is not service. The new gifted operating standards if they go through as is would allow this to be counted as service if enrichment is held during the school day. Does that seem like service to any of you? 
SS



The state of Ohio requires school districts to identify gifted learners in seven areas: cognitive identification, visual and performing arts, creative thinking and within the four specific academic areas of math, reading, social studies and science.
State law requires students be identified as gifted and receive 225 minutes of instruction each week — or 20 percent of a school week — in the area they are identified as gifted.


Ann's comment -- Here is where the reporter gets it wrong. State law does not require identified students to receive service 20% of the week in the area in which they are identified. The operating standards say that if districts are to count service, minimum time requirements must be followed. The new draft standards would remove any minimum instruction time. It will be a free-for-all, with no quality or accountability for what counts as service. It is one thing for districts not to provide service. It is quite another to allow students, parents, and taxpayers to believe that something is actually happening in the name of gifted services when in reality students could receive as little as one day a year probably in general education classroom with a written education plan written by a "gifted coordinator" who will likely have no training in the needs of gifted children at all. 



Public comment on the new draft standards ends September 20. Please read the standards, please read my advocacy alert at www.oagc.com/?q=advocacyalert . And get to work. 

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