IAG Parent Resource Center
Have a question regarding your high-ability child? Do you have something to share regarding advocacy efforts, parent groups, reading material, etc.? Contact our Parent Network here.
You can refer to Section III of the Parent Guide also listed on this page or use the
following quick links to aid you in your advocacy efforts.
~ Contact your state and federal legislators to voice your support for funding high
ability education. Not sure who your legislators are? Go here and type in your address to
receive a listing of federal, state, and local legislators. Web sites and addresses are
included. You can often submit a brief email right online.
~ Or, if you would like to address a legislator in person, here are some tips on
what you can share with them.
~ For tips on advocating for your child at school, click here.
1. "Genius Denied" by Jan and Bob Davidson
2. "Parenting Gifted Kids" by James R. Delisle
3. "Helping Gifted Children Soar" by Carol A. Strip
4. “Gifted Kidsʼ Survival Guide For Ages 10 and Under” Judy Galbraith
5. “The Survival Guide For Parents Of Gifted Kids” (older kids) Sally Yahnke Walker
6. “Light Up Your Childʼs Mind” Sally Reis and Joseph Renzulli
7. Do searches on Amazon or Google for topics like: Parenting Gifted Children,
Intensities of Gifted Children, Twice-Exceptional, Advocating For Your Gifted Child,
Raising Gifted Kids
8. For more resources, please see the resource pages in the Parent Guide, also
listed on the Parent Resource Center page.
The state of Indiana has gone to using the term “high ability” almost exclusively instead of “gifted”. The terms are intended to be mostly synonymous though the phrase
“high ability” may be a bit more broad. For some thoughts on this topic, view this article
by Carol Bainbridge. http://giftedkids.about.com/b/2008/04/29/gifted-or-high-ability.htm
Indiana
In July of 2007, the State of Indiana mandated services for all high ability
learners:
Effective July 1, 2007, Indiana schools shall identify students with high ability in the
general intellectual and specific academic domains and provide them with appropriately
differentiated curriculum and instruction in core content areas, K-12 (refer to IC-
20-36-2-2).
The Indiana Code defines a student with high abilities as one who:
1. performs at, or shows the potential for performing at, an outstanding level of
accomplishment in at least one domain when compared to other students of the
same age, experience, or environment; and:
2. is characterized by exceptional gifts, talents, motivation, or interests (IC
20-36-1-3).
For more information regarding state policies and legislation, see:
http://www.doe.in.gov/exceptional/gt/welcome.html (Indiana DOE High Ability Page)
Indiana Code for High Ability Programs
http://www.doe.in.gov/exceptional/gt/legislation.html
Schools for the Gifted
http://www.sycamoreschool.org/
http://www.bsu.edu/academy/
Public Charter Schools
Under the federal Public Charter Schools Program Indiana began authorizing these
schools in 2002. They provide small-scale educational programs managed by governing
boards comprised of teachers, parents, and community members, and offer a range of
educational programs and enhanced parent-teacher communication.
Information:
~ http://www.incharters.org/
~ http://www.doe.in.gov/charterschools/
The Open Enrollment Program provides interdistrict and intradistrict enrollment options
for students on a space-available basis in order to improve academic achievement and
reduce racial, ethnic, and economic isolation. Parents have the choice to move their
child to another school corporation as long as they are willing to abide by the cash
transfer policies of the accepting school district.
Information:
~ http://mb2.ecs.org/reports/Report.aspx?id=205
~ www.doe.in.gov/finance/docs/TransferTuitionFAQ.pdf
Private/Non-Public Schools
For non-public schools who want to be accredited, the Indiana State Board of Education
has established a performance-based accreditation system. The standards for
accreditation are the same standards required of all public schools.
Information:
~http://www.independentschools.com/indiana/
~http://www.doe.in.gov/htmls/privsch.html
~http://www.doe.in.gov/sservices/counseling/highschool/privateeducation.html
~http://www.inpea.org/
Stay up to date on current national education policy and reform. There is
currently no national mandate regarding high ability education. The Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965, reauthorized as the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001,
“has been the most far-reaching federal legislation affecting education ever passed by
Congress” according to Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Elementary_and_Secondary_Education_Act . It was again revised in May of 2010
under President Obama. Click here for more about this Act. http://www2.ed.gov/policy/
elsec/leg/blueprint/index.html (You will note that there is no specific language in the
document regarding high ability education.)
A bill has been proposed in Congress that would allow for some government
funding of high ability programs nationwide. This is known as the TALENT Act and has
been introduced in Congress and has gone to committee. Below you will find links
regarding this Act.
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s112-857
http://www.nagc.org/index.aspx?id=7804
Online Learning Courses
A growing number of universities are offering distance online learning courses for gifted
students. Most require testing documentation (either provided by the student/parent or
by testing through their institute) for enrollment.
Information:
~http://www.ctd.northwestern.edu/gll/
~http://www.gifted.uconn.edu/WebClasses/index.htm
~http://cty.jhu.edu/
Online/Virtual Schools
Similar to online learning courses but encompass the entire school curriculum.
~http://www.k12.com/ha
~http://indianaonlineacademy.org/
~http://www.connectionsacademy.com/indiana-school/home.aspx
Some camps and Saturday programs specifically for gifted students in Indiana
are:
http://www.sycamoreschool.org/camp.asp
http://geri.education.purdue.edu/youth_programs/index.html
http://www.bsu.edu/academy/youth/
http://www.taylor.edu/academics/special-programs/tusa/
!Please see the IAG “Programs” link on our homepage for more information on camps and activities
elsewhere.
*Fort Wayne: Alpha Parent Group
http://www.sacs.k12.in.us/se3bin/clientgenie.cgi?
geniesite=206&statusFlag=goGenie&job=&schoolname=school147&MID=
Michael Overdahl
*Greenwood: Center Grove Parent Group
Nancy Schmutzler
schmutzlersn@worldnet.att.net
317-882-7784
*Fishers: SAGE (Supporters and Advocates of Gifted Education)
George Peregrim glm2pf@aol.com
*St. Joseph County: GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) Network
Wendy Settle Wendy.H.Settle.1@nd.edu
Click here for information on best practices in identifying high ability students and implementing a high ability program.