Gifted Program

Gifted Education in Steubenville City Schools

Steubenville City Schools is committed to identifying, supporting, and challenging students who demonstrate exceptionally high levels of academic, cognitive, creative, visual, or performing-arts ability.

Ohio defines a gifted student as a student who performs or shows potential for performing at remarkably high levels of accomplishment when compared with other students of the same age, experience, or environment. Ohio recognizes four areas of gifted identification:

• Superior Cognitive Ability
• Specific Academic Ability
• Creative Thinking Ability
• Visual or Performing Arts Ability

A student may be identified in one or more areas. Identification in one area does not require identification in another area.

Steubenville City Schools will provide equitable opportunities for students to be screened and referred for gifted identification and will use assessment instruments approved by the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce.

Gifted Screening and Identification

Steubenville City Schools will provide multiple opportunities for gifted screening and referral throughout grades K–12.

Ohio permits districts to use both whole-grade screenings and referrals. A referral may be initiated by a parent/guardian, teacher, student, peer, or another individual with knowledge of the student's abilities.

Steubenville Identification Standard
A student will be identified as gifted in a specific academic area when the student's qualifying score meets or exceeds the Ohio-required 95th national percentile, using an assessment and score type approved by the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce.

The district will not establish a separate local cutoff that is more restrictive than Ohio's identification requirements without first confirming that such a requirement is legally permissible and incorporated into the district's adopted gifted identification plan.

Creative Thinking Ability — Grades K–12
Creative Thinking Ability is a separate area of gifted identification.

Ohio permits districts to use approved intelligence assessments as one component of creative-thinking identification, combined with an approved creative-thinking assessment or checklist.

For intelligence assessments, Ohio uses:

One standard deviation above the mean, minus the standard error of measurement.

The intelligence component alone does not identify a student as gifted in Creative Thinking Ability. A second qualifying creative-thinking component is required.

Approved Creative-Thinking Components
Steubenville City Schools may use approved instruments including:

• Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT), approved composite(s)
• Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT), approved level/composite
• Gifted and Talented Evaluation Scales, Second Edition (GATES-2)
• Other creative-thinking instruments appearing on the current Ohio-approved list

GATES-2
The Gifted and Talented Evaluation Scales, Second Edition (GATES-2) is approved for use as a creative checklist component.

Ohio's March 2026 materials identify a qualifying score of 111 for gifted identification on the GATES-2, with a reassessment range of 90–110.

Steubenville Identification Standard
A student will be identified in Creative Thinking Ability when the student meets the Ohio-required qualifying score on the intelligence/cognitive component and meets the required qualifying score on an approved creative-thinking assessment or checklist.

Visual and Performing Arts Ability — Grades K–12
Ohio recognizes Visual or Performing Arts Ability as a gifted identification area.

Eligible fields include:

• Visual Arts
• Music
• Drama/Theatre
• Dance

Identification in visual and performing arts requires more than a standardized test score. Ohio's process uses an approved artistic-behavior checklist or scale together with evidence of superior artistic ability demonstrated through a portfolio, display of work, audition, performance, or exhibition.

Approved Artistic Checklist
Gifted and Talented Evaluation Scales, Second Edition (GATES-2)
The GATES-2 Artistic Talent checklist is approved as a component for Visual or Performing Arts identification in:

• Dance
• Theatre
• Music
• Visual Arts

Ohio identifies 111 as the qualifying score for gifted identification on the GATES-2 checklist.

Screening, Referral and Reassessment
Steubenville City Schools will provide multiple pathways for gifted identification.

Students may be referred by:

• Parent or guardian
• Teacher
• Student
• Peer
• School counselor
• Principal
• Gifted intervention specialist
• School psychologist
• Other school personnel
• Other individuals with relevant knowledge of the student's abilities

Ohio specifically recognizes parent, guardian, teacher, peer, and student referrals.

Reassessment
Students who score close to, but below, the Ohio qualifying score may be considered for reassessment when permitted by Ohio guidance and the specific assessment's approved criteria.

The district will follow the current Ohio Department of Education and Workforce guidance regarding reassessment rather than establishing a separate districtwide reassessment cutoff.

Out-of-District and Outside Assessment Results
Steubenville City Schools may consider qualifying gifted assessment results from another Ohio public school district or qualified assessment provider when the assessment:

• Appears on the Ohio-approved gifted assessment list applicable to the date of testing;
• Was administered according to the assessment publisher's requirements;
• Provides sufficient information to determine the Ohio qualifying score; and
• Meets the applicable Ohio requirements concerning the age and validity of the score.

The district will verify outside assessment results before using them for formal gifted identification.