Gifted Students

Rossford Schools provides a continuum of services designed to support gifted students and promote access to advanced academic opportunities. At the elementary level, the district uses a cluster-grouping model within the general education classrooms, allowing identified gifted students to learn alongside peers while receiving differentiated instruction. Students identified as gifted in cognitive ability and/or specific academic areas receive push-in support from a gifted intervention specialist, with services designed to address individual academic needs and provide appropriate levels of challenge.

Professional development is an important component of Rossford’s gifted education model. Teachers working with gifted students complete the required professional development hours related to gifted education and maintain the appropriate gifted credentials/certification, supporting their ability to recognize gifted characteristics, differentiate instruction, and provide appropriately challenging learning experiences. Ongoing professional learning helps classroom teachers implement strategies that meet the academic and social-emotional needs of gifted learners within the cluster-grouping and push-in model.

At the junior high level, identified gifted students have access to advanced English language art and mathematics courses, providing increased academic rigor as students progress through the district.

At the high school level, Rossford expands advanced learning opportunities through Advanced Placement (AP)and College Credit Plus (CCP) coursework. These opportunities allow qualified students to pursue coursework beyond the traditional high school curriculum. Through CCP, students may earn both high school and college credit while still enrolled in high school.

Overall, Rossford's gifted and advanced learning curriculum includes cluster grouping and push-in support at the elementary level, appropriately challenging advanced coursework at the junior high level, and AP and CCP opportunities at the high school level. The model is supported by teacher professional development in gifted education, helping ensure that educators working with identified students have the knowledge and skills necessary to provide differentiated and appropriate rigorous instruction.

Identification

Students in second and fifth grade are assessed for giftedness in the areas of superior cognitive ability, specific academic ability, creative thinking ability, and visual or performing arts. The district’s screening and identification assessments follow Ohio state law and are available through the district’s website. In accordance with the State of Ohio, students may qualify for gifted services based on one or more of these areas. In Rossford, students can also be referred for gifted identification at any time by a parent, teacher, or through self-referral. Referrals may be made for any area of giftedness recognized under Ohio law.

Cluster Grouping

Cluster grouping involves placing several gifted students in the same classroom with a teacher who provides differentiated instruction and a curriculum designed to meet their advanced learning needs. Research suggests that grouping gifted students together can have positive effects on academic achievement, creativity, and other areas of development when instruction is appropriately differentiated (Lee et al., 2023; Valadez et al., 2020). Gifted students may also benefit from learning alongside peers with similar abilities and interests, as this type of grouping can provide opportunities for greater academic challenge and social connection.

Another advantage of cluster grouping is that gifted students can receive specialized instruction throughout the school day without being regularly removed from their general education classroom. This approach allows teachers to provide more consistent differentiation, enrichment, and opportunities for advanced learning while maintaining students’ connection to the broader classroom curriculum. Research on high-ability students also suggests that cluster grouping can support positive social and personal adjustment, further demonstrating the potential benefits of learning with similar-ability peers (Valadez et al., 2022).

Inclusion Model

The inclusion approach allows students to remain in the regular education classroom while a gifted intervention specialist provides support within that setting. This model offers greater opportunities for differentiated instruction, as the intervention specialist can provide students with more in-depth studies, accelerated content, and enrichment activities. Having two teachers in the classroom also allows one teacher to work with a small group or provide one-on-one support when needed. By keeping students in the regular classroom, they can remain focused on core instruction while also having opportunities for acceleration, enrichment, and deeper exploration of content.

ESC Gifted Support Coordinator

Harmony Beck

[email protected]

419-666-8130

Gifted Intervention Specialist

Diane Burtchin

[email protected]

419-666-8130

Important Forms

Early Entrance to Kindergarten Gifted Policy

Rossford Schools District Gifted Policy