Gifted Services

Students in Grades 2 through 8 are assessed periodically throughout the school year using the MAP Growth 2-5 or 6+ Assessments of Reading and Math as part of the ongoing process of measuring student growth. Students in Grades 2 and 5 also participate in whole-grade screening for gifted identification in the areas of Superior Cognitive Ability using the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Assessment (NNAT3) and Creative Thinking Ability using the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking. For further information on assessments and the benchmark criteria, please review this document.

Whole Grade-Screening is when students in a particular grade take an assessment to determine giftedness. As with any assessment, parents have the right to not have their child assessed.

The Ohio Department of Education & Workforce provides school districts with a list of approved assessments for each gifted identification area. MAP Growth is already given to our students in grades 2-8 and selecting it allows us to minimize the number of assessments our students take. It is research-based and can be used to identify specific academic ability in mathematics and reading. The Naglieri was selected because it is highly regarded as a non-verbal ability test, provides identification in superior cognitive ability and is recommended as one of the best assessments to ensure equity in identification. 

There are whole-grade screening assessments in Grades 2 and 5 because they identify different types of giftedness in addition to MAP, which identifies giftedness in Math and Reading. The Naglieri Non-Verbal Ability Test 3 (NNAT3) identifies superior cognitive ability. The Torrance is also given to identify students in giftedness in creative-thinking ability. To be identified as gifted, a child needs to meet the identification score on one of these assessments. 

Parents/Guardians may opt out of any assessment. Parents/Guardians should contact the student’s building principal to opt out.

No. Once a child is identified as gifted, that identification exists throughout their Shaker Heights Schools career.

Shaker Heights Schools accepts assessment results from other districts or trained individuals outside the District.

Shaker will allow those accommodations, if the assessment instrument allows them. If the accommodations are not consistent with a test’s allowable accommodations, a comparable approved assessment instrument will be used. 

Shaker Heights Schools will try to respond as quickly as possible, but must conduct the initial assessment within 90 days of receipt of the referral form.

Students in Grades 2-10 receive services in an inclusive cluster grouping model. A cluster group is a group of identified gifted students who are purposefully clustered together in the classroom of a teacher who has licensure or endorsement or specialized training in gifted education.  The other students in that class are of mixed ability. Teachers also receive support from the Gifted Coordinator and Gifted Intervention Specialists through periodic co-teaching, co-planning and consultation. Students receiving gifted services receive a Written Education Plan (WEP) outlining the description of the services to be provided.

Shaker also provides Acceleration opportunities (Whole-grade acceleration, individual subject acceleration, early admission to kindergarten and early high school graduation).