Gifted coordinator Anna Sampson outlines changes to Bethel Local’s gifted services plan

Anna Sampson, who identified herself at the meeting as the district’s gifted intervention specialist and district gifted coordinator, told the Bethel Local Board of Education that the district is refining how it identifies and serves students for gifted services.

Sampson said the district continues to cluster younger elementary gifted students in homerooms for differentiated instruction and uses a compacted-grade model in math for third through fifth grades so students may begin higher-grade standards earlier. "Third through fifth grade math is taught by myself," Sampson said, describing the district’s approach to acceleration and monitoring when students move between grade-level standards.

At the middle-school level, Sampson said administrators and the math department added an honors tier between regular and fully accelerated classes to provide differentiation for students who do not yet meet full acceleration criteria but need more challenge. She said the district plans to phase in honors tiers in seventh and eighth grade after starting in sixth grade.

Sampson described the district’s identification and testing procedures and the role of state-approved assessments. She said teachers use universal screens such as I-Ready and that the district gives the CogAT in particular grades; referrals and retesting pathways exist so students who miss a screening opportunity can be evaluated during the school year. "If a referral is brought in, then I test the student in my classroom," she said, noting the district follows state-prescribed assessment options and reporting requirements.

Board members asked how the district flags identified students in its information systems and whether all teachers can see a student's gifted status. Sampson said she maintains a spreadsheet and reports to the state; she acknowledged that not all staff immediately see gifted flags in every system and said she plans to work with staff so teachers who need to know are notified.

Trustees pressed on the certification and training required to teach gifted students. Sampson said Ohio requires initial training hours for teachers who serve gifted students and ongoing professional development; the gifted endorsement is a separate certification that changes continuing-education requirements. "There's more to teaching it than just advancing the kids in the next grade," she said, describing social and emotional needs that can require targeted training.

Sampson also outlined procedural timelines: district referrals, retesting procedures and written education plans for gifted students. She said written education plans are drafted with teachers, shared electronically with parents for signatures and intended to keep instruction aligned across classrooms.

The presentation ended with board members and administrators thanking Sampson and raising follow-up questions about scheduling, identification in district systems and how acceleration affects state reporting. Sampson said she will continue to work with principals and counselors to smooth scheduling and reporting as the program is implemented.