Project Excel
The Gifted and Talented Program of the Cuyahoga Falls
City School District has been known as “Project Excel”
from its inception. The district program provides
enrichment and acceleration services in keeping with the
requirements set forth by the Ohio Department of
Education.
Grades 1 – 5 Enrichment:
Enrichment experiences are provided in grades 1-5
through topical units of instruction which are correlated to
the Ohio Academic Content Standards in the specific
academic content areas. Gifted Intervention Specialists
provide instruction in the areas of qualification through inclass co-teaching models and other special activities.
Grades 3 – 5 Services for Superior Cognitive:
The superior cognitive students in grades 3-5 participate in
a full day of pull-out project-based instruction each week.
These students are bused to Lincoln Elementary School
one day per week to work collaboratively with the Gifted
Intervention Specialist and students from each of the six
elementary schools.
Grades 6 – 8 Enrichment:
Specific academic and superior cognitive middle school
students are provided opportunities to participate in the
Project Excel Learning Seminars. These seminars revolve
around interdisciplinary learning experiences and
culminating with activities such as a writing experience or
project.
Grades 6 – 8 Services for Superior Cognitive:
The superior cognitive students at the middle school are
clustered into a daily 90-minute gifted language arts block
in which the Gifted Intervention Specialist co-teaches with
the regular teacher in grades 6-7; the grade 8 classes are
served by a highly qualified instructor in gifted education.
These classes utilize Socratic Methods, inquiry
approaches, literature circle models, and accelerated
reading lists to provide higher expectations for advanced
learners.
High School Level:
In each CORE content area, enriched and AP courses are
offered. Post-secondary options are available as well. The
Gifted Intervention Specialist provides seminars and
assistance to students as they prepare for college
admission. Students may utilize Credit Flexibility options to
complete courses that enable advancement.
Each gifted student will have a Written Education Plan
that includes a description of services, goals, and
progress monitoring plans. A copy of the plan, as well
as periodic progress reports, will be provided for
parents.
Gifted Program Staff
Contact Information
Cuyahoga Falls City School District
Karen Rumley
Coordinator of Gifted Services
Summit County ESC Consultant
330-945-5600 extension 511237
cf_rumley@cfalls.org
Cheryl Beisel
Gifted Intervention Specialist
Lincoln and Preston
330-926-3800 extension 502673
cf_beisel@cfalls.org
DISTRICT POLICY AND PLAN
FOR GIFTED
IDENTIFICATION AND
SERVICES
Leslie Dougherty
Gifted Intervention Specialist
Dewitt, Price, Richardson, and
Silver Lake
330-926-3800 extension 502872
cf_doughertyl@cfalls.org
Lori Jordan
Gifted Intervention Specialist
Bolich and Roberts
330-926-3800 extension 502421
cf_jordanl@cfalls.org
Department of
Teaching & Learning
Information for Parents
Definition:
The State of Ohio defines “Gifted” as students
who perform or show potential for performing at
remarkably high levels of accomplishment when
compared to others of their age, experience, or
environment.
Screening and Assessing:
The district uses a three-part approach to
screen students who perform or show potential
for performing at high levels of accomplishment
in the areas of superior cognitive ability, specific
academic ability, creativity, and visual and/or
performing arts. At each stage safeguards are
in place to insure that the tests used are valid
for special populations and reflect accurate
aptitude/achievement in students with physical
and sensory disabilities
1. Pre-Assessment:
The pre-assessment part of the process
involves gathering student data from a variety of
sources including teacher, parent, and peer
nominations, grades, portfolios, observations,
review of student records, and outstanding
products of performances, etc. All students are
involved in the pre-assessment pool.
By using the pre-assessment process, the
district ensures equal access to screening and
further assessment by all district children,
including culturally or linguistically diverse
children, children with disabilities, and children
for whom English is a second language.
2. Assessment for Screening:
The screening stage examines the data
gathered from the pre-assessment stage and
determines if additional assessment is
necessary.
In
making
decisions
about
additional
assessment, existing test data for students is
not the sole determining criteria. School
personnel examine all available information
about a student to determine if evidence of
possible giftedness exists for that student and
conduct necessary additional assessment.
District-determined cut-off scores, to move
students from screening stage to the
assessment stage, are lower than the scores
necessary for identification.
3. Assessment for Identification:
Assessment strategies provide additional data
necessary for an identification decision and the delivery
of services. Strategies for additional assessment
include the individual and group testing requirements of
Sections 3324.01-.07 of the Ohio Revised Code.
Reference district brochure “Assessment Instruments
used for Gifted Identification” for more information.
Once additional assessment has been completed, the
data obtained throughout the stages of identification are
evaluated, the identification decision is made, and
student educational needs are determined. Parents
must be notified of the results of assessment within 30
days. (Scores based on assessment instruments
approved for use by the O.D.E. and provided by other
school districts and/or trained personnel outside the
district are accepted as well.)
Identification Criteria:
O.R.C. Section 3324.03 outlines the criteria for gifted
identification, summarized below:
(A) Superior Cognitive – A child shall be identified if
the child, within the last 24 months, scored two
standard deviations above the mean, minus the
standard error of measurement, on an approved
individual or group standardized intelligence test OR
performed at or above the 95th percentile on an
approved individual or group standardized nationally
normed achievement test.
Withdrawal: If at any time a student wishes to
withdraw from gifted programs or services, the
request should be written by the parent.
Appeal: Parents may appeal any part of the
identification processes by submitting a letter to
the assistant superintendent outlining the nature
of the concern. The assistant superintendent will
issue a final decision within 30 days of the
appeal.
CRITERIA for SERVICES
and OTHER OPPORTUNITIES:
Ohio does not mandate services for gifted students.
Each district must determine what services will be
provided as well as the criteria for qualifying for such
services and programs. Cuyahoga Falls has
established the following criteria based on stateapproved tools for identification:
*The Cognitive Ability Tests (CogAT) and the OtisLennon School Ability Test are used for group testing,
as well as a battery of other individual assessments
designed to identify giftedness. These tests are
administered by qualified personnel. Refer to
“Assessment Instruments used for Gifted Identification”
for more information on testing instruments.
Service: Superior Cognitive Programming, To
qualify for the elementary or middle school programs
students must score at 130 IQ or above.
(B) Specific Academic Ability – A child shall be
identified if the child performed at or above the 95 th
percentile on a nationally-normed achievement test
within the last 24 months.
Enrichment opportunities will be available for students
who are identified in at least one academic content
area at the 95th percentile or higher and students with a
score of 127-129 IQ.
(C) Creative Thinking Ability – A child shall be
identified if the child scored one standard deviation
above the mean, minus the standard error of
measurement on an ability or intelligence test AND had
a sufficient score on an ODE-approved checklist.
Visual and performing arts areas are identified through
procedures established by ODE. Our district
participates in a collaborative, multi-district identification
of these students annually.
(D) Visual and Performing Arts – A child shall be
identified by demonstrating superior ability through a
display of work, audition, or performance AND a
sufficient score on an ODE-approved checklist.
Refer to the District Acceleration Policy for more
information about subject and whole-grade acceleration
options and procedures
Referral: The district shall provide at least two
opportunities per year for assessment in the case of
children referred by teachers or parents.
Transfer: The district ensures that any child
transferring into the district will be screened at the
request of the parent within 90 days.
All district students identified as gifted will have
equal opportunity to receive services offered.
Revised June, 2011