Gifted Services
Becky Quinn
District Gifted Coordinator
email: rquinn@aurora-schools.org
phone: 330-954-2179
Aurora City School District is committed to meeting the needs of advanced and gifted students in a variety of formal and informal ways across grades K-12. A myriad of services are available, including access to Gifted Clusters and Differentiated Art courses at the elementary and MS levels, Differentiated Elective courses / Advanced courses / Gifted courses / Honors courses / CCP courses at the MS level, and Honors course / AP course / Differentiated Art courses / CCP courses at the HS level. Many of the services we provide seek to enhance the learning experience for all students within a class or school, providing more rigorous learning opportunities to students as they show readiness over time. The ongoing professional development we provide for our gifted service providers supports them in meeting the varied academic, social, and emotional needs of gifted students across the district.
To learn more about assessments used for the purpose of gifted identification, gifted services available across the district, and ways that we help to proactively address issues of access and equity in identification and service, please visit the links on the right side of this page. Links are updated and additional resources for parents/guardians are posted to this page throughout each school year.
Documents
K-12 Advanced / Gifted Resources
2025-26 ACSD Gifted Testing Overview
This document identifies the assessments and cut scores used within ACSD for the purpose of gifted screening and identification. All assessments are approved by the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (ODEW) for this use.
2025-26 ACSD Gifted Screening / Identification and Service Plan
This document provides an overview of the referral process, screening / identification of gifted students, the continuum of gifted services provided within Aurora City Schools, and other relevant information.
Referral Forms - Testing for the Purpose of Gifted Identification
Acceleration Resources
- ACSD Gifted Acceleration Process Administrative Guidelines - district process for student consideration for accelerative options
- Acceleration Permission to Assess Form
- Acceleration Referral Form
- A Nation Empowered (Volume 1) - compilation of years of research related to the varied forms of acceleration
Advanced / Gifted Services Resources - Aurora High School
AHS Program of Studies - see the guide linked on this site to view the Honors courses / AP courses / Art courses at AHS - including prerequisites, trajectories, and offerings within each content area
Advanced / Gifted Services Resources - Harmon MS
- FINAL 2025-26 Offerings for Gifted / Advanced Students at HMS & Selection Criteria
- 6th Grade (in 25-26) HMS SCHEDULING APPEAL FORM (to request Placement in Math 6/7A) - DUE BY 4/17/25
- 7th Grade (in 25-26) HMS SCHEDULING APPEAL FORM (to request Placement in Math 7B/8) - DUE BY 4/17/25
- 8th Grade (in 25-26) HMS SCHEDULING Honors Math 8 APPEAL FORM - DUE BY 4/17/25
- 8th Grade (in 25-26) HMS SCHEDULING Honors ELA 8 APPEAL FORM
- NEW in 2025-26 - Advanced Science Cluster (8th grade) 1/30 Email & F.A.Q.
Advanced / Gifted Services Resources - Leighton Elementary School (Grades 3-5)
Advanced / Gifted Services Resources - Craddock Elementary School (Grades 1-2)
Other Resources of Interest to Families of Advanced / Gifted Students
College Credit Plus - Grades 7-12
Look for communication to all families of 6th-11th grade students in fall of each school year for information about CCP Informational Night sessions. (CCP is an option for students who will enter grades 7-12 the following school year.) Attending this session, meeting with a Counselor, and submitting the Intent to Apply Form to the student’s current School Counselor by April 1st is required to apply and possibly enroll in CCP coursework the following summer, fall, and/or spring.
Ohio Department of Education & Workforce CCP Website
Credit Flexibility - Grades 7-12
AHS Credit Flexibility Handbook
HMS Credit Flexibility Guidelines
Resources for Parents/Guardians of Gifted Children
- Book List for Parents / Guardians of K-12 Gifted Students - curated list of books which address the varied academic, social, and emotional needs of gifted children, as well as issues of underrepresentation in gifted education
- Growing Critical and Cognitive Reasoning Skills - Recommended Game List - relevant to students in grades 1-6
- Internship / Service / Volunteer Opportunities in Ohio - relevant to students in grades 8-12
- Davidson Institute - Curated List of Books Related to Perfectionism in Gifted Children - relevant to students in K-12
- NEW Ohio Camps and Programs of Interest to K-12 ACSD Students - Summer 2025
Gifted Articles and Previous Presentations
- 2024 Gifted Services Parent Information Night Presentation
- Affective Characteristics of the Gifted
- Characteristics and Possible Behaviors Associated with High Ability
- Characteristics of Gifted Students
- Parenting Gifted Kids by Dr. Delisle
- Perfectionism: Finding a Healthy Balance
- The Masks of Gifted: Behaviors that Hide the Gifted Child