Lake Local Schools

Identification

Lake Local Schools (LLS) accepts referrals, screens and identifies, or screens and reassesses students who perform or show potential for performing at high levels of accomplishment in the areas of superior cognitive ability, specific academic ability, creative thinking ability, and/or visual and/or performing arts. LLS follows the policy and procedures established in Ohio Administrative Code 3301-51-15. These rules specify that assessment instruments must come from the list approved by the Ohio Department of Education.

Referral

Children may be referred in writing on an ongoing basis, based on the following:

• Child request (self-referral)
• Teacher recommendation
• Parent/guardian request
• Child referral of peer
• Other (e.g., psychologist, community members, principal, gifted coordinator, etc.)

Upon receipt of a referral, the district will:

• Follow the process as outlined below
• Notify parents of results of screening or assessment and identification within 30 days.

Screening

The district ensures equal access to screening and further assessment of all district children, including culturally or linguistically diverse children, children from low socioeconomic backgrounds, children with disabilities and children for whom English is a second language. Lake Local conducts whole grade screens in grades 2 - 8 in both reading and math using the Measures of Academic Progress assessment (MAP). Additionally, Lake will conduct whole grade screens for superior cognitive ability and creative thinking in grades 2 and 6. Results of the assessments are sent home to parents within 30 days of the district receiving the reports. MAP results are sent home three times a year.

Identification

When the screening assessment has been completed, if the data obtained is from an approved identification instrument and the score meets cut-off scores specified in department of education guidance, the identification decision is made and student’s educational needs are determined. Identification scores remain in effect for the remainder of the student’s K-12 school experience. Although districts are required to identify gifted students, districts are not required to provide service to gifted students. Students that score in the 95th percentile or higher in mathematics on the Measures of Academic Progress assessment are identified as having specific academic ability in mathematics while students that score in the 95th percentile or higher on the Measures of Academic Progress assessment in reading are identified as having specific academic ability in reading.

Reassessment

When the screening assessment has been completed, if the data is from an approved screening instrument or from an identification instrument on which the student is within a district-specified range below the identification score, re-assessment for possible identification occurs.

Out of District Scores

The district accepts scores, completed within the preceding 24 months on assessment instruments approved for use by the Ohio Department of Education, provided by other schools and/or trained personnel outside the school district.

Transfer

The district ensures that any child transferring into the district will be assessed within 90 days of the transfer at the request of the parent. Parents shall contact the building principal.

Appeal Procedure

An appeal by the parent is the reconsideration of the result of any part of the identification process which would include:

• Screening procedure or assessment instrument (which results in identification)
• The scheduling of children for assessment
• The placement of a student in any program
• Receipt of services.

Parents should submit a letter to the building principal outlining the nature of the concern.