<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>While I would agree that leaving all decision making to local school boards and superintendents would not be a good thing, not all superintendents are against gifted education.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Westlake is a high performing district. Getting a D for the gifted subcategory is less an indication of the lack of rigor or service than it is an indication that the growth expectations are faulty. If the bulk of your sub-population of students is already at the 95<sup>th</sup>-99<sup>th</sup> percentile, HOW can you show growth? Is it Westlake’s, their superintendent’s, or the GIS’s fault that the metric determining the gifted grade doesn’t allow growth to be shown? Is it possible that if a Westlake parent looks at a nationally normed test, they would see Westlake students actually show lots of growth? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Can we please not blast districts that <u>actually serve</u> gifted students when there are plenty that earned a better rating without serving students? Just look at the many districts that have lots of kids identified, 0 served, and they still get better grades. Is this really a fair system?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Shannon Gagel<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Gifted Intervention Specialist<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Aurora City Schools<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> ohiogift-bounces+sgagel=aurora-schools.org@lists.service.ohio-state.edu [mailto:ohiogift-bounces+sgagel=aurora-schools.org@lists.service.ohio-state.edu] <b>On Behalf Of </b>anngift@aol.com<br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, October 08, 2013 8:02 AM<br><b>To:</b> Ohiogift@lists.service.ohio-state.edu<br><b>Subject:</b> [Ohiogift] A new High Ability blog is now available<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><br>Superintendents to Gifted Parents: Who are going to believe, me or your lying data? Read the new High Ability blog at <a href="http://wp.me/puUD1-cE">http://wp.me/puUD1-cE</a></span><o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>