High Ability

Introduction

The Community School Corporation of Southern Hancock County is dedicated to the pursuit of excellence for each and every student we serve. It is in this light that this page has been created to outline procedures and guidelines for serving our High Ability students and their families.

This page will be periodically updated in order to reflect current and innovative best practice, as well as to be in compliance with state and federal guidelines.

 

MIssion and Belief Statements

Mission:

The purpose of Southern Hancock Schools is to work collaboratively with community stakeholders to develop in each student the knowledge, attitudes, and skills to make them productive members of society. Southern Hancock recognizes that some students perform at or show potential for performing at an outstanding academic level. These students exist in grades K-12, come from all socioeconomic, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds, and exhibit needs in academic and affective (social/emotional) domains which are to be met through a variety of environments and learning opportunities.

Belief Statements:

1. High Ability students have many social, emotional, and academic needs that make them unique and different.  These characteristics should be celebrated and nurtured.
2. High Ability students need opportunities to work in various environments and group constructs in order to grow as individuals and influence peers in a positive way while being part of a larger community.
3. High Ability students should be challenged daily with maximum opportunities to achieve in a variety of areas that promote growth.
4. Learning opportunities should engage students with depth, integration, and practical learning across the curriculum.
5. The parents of High Ability students should be integral partners in the educational process at home and school.

 

Federal and State Law

The Indiana Department of Education requires school districts to identify High Ability students, K-12, and provide them with appropriately differentiated curriculum and instruction. Specifically:

IC 20-36-2-2 School corporation high ability programs; criteria

Sec. 2. A governing body shall develop and periodically update a local plan to provide appropriate educational experiences to high ability students in the school corporation in kindergarten through grade 12. The plan must include the following components:

(1) The establishment of a broad based planning committee that meets periodically to review the local education authority's plan for high ability students. The committee must have representatives from diverse groups representing the school and community.

(2) Student assessments that identify high ability students using multifaceted assessments to ensure that students not identified by traditional assessments because of economic disadvantage, cultural background, underachievement*, or disabilities are included. The assessments must identify students with high abilities in the general intellectual* domain and specific academic* domains. The results of an assessment under this subdivision must be recorded with the student test number assigned to a student.

(3) Professional development.

(4) Development and implementation of local services for high ability students, including appropriately differentiated curriculum and instruction in the core academic areas designated by the state board for each grade consistent with federal, state, local, and private funding sources.

(5) Evaluation of the local program for high ability students.

 

As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.20. Amended by P.L.84-2007, SEC.3.