Superintendent’s Committee on Assessments – The first meeting of the Superintendent’s Advisory Committee on Assessments was held this past week. Committee members heard a presentation from ODE Deputy Superintendent, Dr. John Richard. Dr Richard also shared a timeline for committee tasks. The committee has representatives from most of the major education groups. OAGC President, Colleen Boyle is representing OAGC on the committee. To view the assessment committee presentation, timeline, and next meeting tasks, please go to www.oagc.com/advocacyupdates.asp and look under the “Superintendent’s Advisory Committee on Assessments 2017” tab. All documents from meetings will be posted under that tab. The next meeting is scheduled for April 4, 2017 from 4:30 to 6:30 pm at the Ohio Department of Education.
Gifted Operating Standards Update – The Ohio Department of Education officially field the gifted operating standards on March 21st. Typically, this would mean that the standards would go into effect 10 days after the final filing. However, in order to coincide with school year, the operating standards will go into effect on July 1, 2017. To see a copy of the final rule, please go to http://www.oagc.com/rulelaw.asp
New Supreme Court Ruling on Special Education – This week in a landmark case for students with disabilities, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled districts must give students with disabilities the chance to make meaningful, “appropriately ambitious” progress. “It cannot be right that the IDEA generally contemplates grade-level advancement for children with disabilities who are fully integrated in the regular classroom, but is satisfied with barely more than de minimis progress for children who are not,” read the opinion, signed by Chief Justice John Roberts. While it is unclear what impact this might have in the future for gifted students, it is definite victory for all families of students with special needs For more information on this ruling, please go to http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2017/03/22/521094752/the-supreme-court-rules-in-favor-of-a-special-education-student .