In Ohio, public schools are required to screen for gifted students between grades K-2 and again between grades 3-5. Students may also be referred for screening by parents, guardians, teachers or peers outside the whole-grade screening.

Ohio’s gifted students fall into one or more of the following groups:

• Superior Cognitive Ability: Based on scores from IQ tests, composite test or grade-level achievement test ​
• Specific Academic Ability: Based on test scores in a specific subject area
• Creative Thinking Ability: Based on IQ score and a behavior checklist or creativity test
• Visual or Performing Arts Ability: Based on work sample and a behavior checklist

Some schools do not offer screening (for example, some private schools). When this happens, families may use a private evaluation. Families should check with their insurance before scheduling a private evaluation since it typically is not covered.

For help finding Northeast Ohio professionals who offer private evaluations, Ask Us!

Ohio schools are required to identify gifted students – but there is no requirement to provide gifted education. Because of this, some schools do not offer gifted programs. In most other public schools, gifted education does not begin until third grade.

Another common problem happens when a child is identified as gifted in one area (for example, creative thinking), but does not meet the overall cutoff for gifted education services. These families may feel like their child is missing out – or that they have failed their child by not getting into the program.

When this happens, some families choose to:

• Enroll their child in a different school - for example, a school that focuses on gifted learners or a private school. For more information on choosing a school see our how-to guide.
• Use outside enrichment. Many families use outside enrichment to nurture gifted learners. This may include homeschool activities, clubs and camps, podcasts and other interests. Classroom teachers can also be a good resource for enrichment ideas.

When a child is identified as gifted, families are often thrown into a whole new world. One of the first questions you may be struggling to answer is “what is the best way for my child to learn?” There are several common ways that education is modified for gifted learners:

• Acceleration: Students move through the curriculum at a faster rate than typical peers. 
• Enrichment (often achieved through curriculum compacting, push-in or extracurricular activities): Enrichment offers opportunities for students to study topics of interest with deeper intensity.
• Grade Skipping: Grade skipping is a form of acceleration where a student advances to a grade level ahead of peers (either a whole grade or only in certain subjects). There are pros and cons to grade skipping and the right decision will depend on the child's unique needs.
• Pull-Out Programs: Pull-out classes, such as gifted classrooms, AP programs, college credit plus, and other opportunities can allow students to gain deeper knowledge on a subject with similarly interested peers.
• Push-In Services: Push-in describes content provided to students in the context of the general education classroom, usually by providing advanced content in core subjects like math and ELA. This model is not as common as pull-out, but is gaining support.

While there is no official estimate on children who are both gifted and have a disability, estimates suggest that about 6% of the 7.1 million students served by IDEA are also gifted.

Because giftedness can mask disabilities, many families struggle with the decision to look deeper. This is especially true for children with attention issues, lagging social skills or emotional intensity. This article identifies some of the red flags parents and educators notice with twice-exceptional (2E) children.

Families who are concerned can learn more about special education with this guide or get 1:1 support from Connecting for Kids staff.

The red flags section of this guide shows that gifted kids often have struggles that overlap with autism and ADHD. The following two articles cover shared characteristics and how they look different in gifted children:

• Gifted, ADHD, or Both?
• Gifted, on The Spectrum, or Both?

For additional information on autism and ADHD, see our other resource guides.

First off – know that you’re not alone. Gifted kids are known for emotional intensity and their big emotions can happen for a lot of different reasons.

The podcast, Emotional Intensity in Gifted Kids, helps families understand why their child might be struggling. It also includes tips and resources to help children problem-solve and practice emotion regulation. 

Gifted kids often navigate some pretty tough social situations:

• Some kids end up in classes with older students to meet their educational needs
• Some have intense interests that are difficult to match
• Others may feel out-of-place because they think or feel differently than their peers

The podcast, Supporting the Social Development in Gifted Kids, highlights some of these tough situations. It also talks about options – like social skills groups and structured outings – that can help. If you’d like help finding options near you, Ask Us!

Motivation is another common problem for families with gifted children. Sometimes, gifted kids are bored with age-appropriate topics. Gifted kids can also be highly motivated with a specific interest but not in topics that don’t touch that interest. Unfortunately, some children also perform poorly on purpose to fit in with peers.

When available, Written Education Plans (WEPs), can help gifted students and their families expand classroom learning. These plans identify annual goals, describe modifications and document how progress is measured. Keep in mind that WEPs may not be offered in private schools or in public schools that do not offer gifted services.

Using outside enrichment, joining clubs and participating in competitions that focus on the child’s interests can also boost motivation. Many families have gotten creative and found ways to bring topics into classroom learning.

Counseling can also help – especially with kids who are struggling to fit in. If you’d like help finding a counselor near you, Ask Us!