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Board hears review of gifted services; members press for clearer screening, timelines and secondary delivery models
Summary
District staff reported that 4.7% of students are identified as gifted, outlined screening and service models, and heard sustained board concern about the effectiveness of the universal screener, timelines for evaluation, teacher capacity and how gifted services are delivered in middle and high school.
Marion County Public Schools leaders briefed the school board on current gifted-program screening, eligibility and delivery models on Oct. 2, and board members pressed for clearer timelines, better teacher training and a follow-up review of secondary delivery models.
District academic staff said 4.7% of Marion County students are identified as gifted, roughly matching statewide statistics. Assistant superintendent Jason Whitehouse and colleagues described a seven-area state framework for gifted education that includes screening, a continuum of service models, individualized educational plans (EPs), counseling supports, monitoring, professional learning and program evaluation.
The district outlined current procedures: nominations or a universal screener (the Naglieri instrument used as a second‑grade universal screen in 2023–24 and 2024–25), followed by school-level permission and a KBIT screening for nominated students. A psychological evaluation for gifted eligibility is completed by a school psychologist after parent consent; the district noted a statutory timeline that requires completion of a psychological evaluation within 90…
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