Gifted & Talented Education
The Owasso Public School District is committed to providing enrichment opportunities designed to promote the growth of skills, knowledge, and social-emotional learning required for students to achieve their full potential. To ensure an equitable and appropriate educational experience for Owasso’s Gifted and Talented students, the District Leadership Team, Teaching & Learning Department, Gifted & Talented Department, and the Gifted & Talented Local Advisory Committee continuously pursue current research, implement best practices, and adhere to federal, state, and local standards. Owasso Public Schools is aligned with the National Association for Gifted Children’s (NAGC) philosophy of giftedness that guides best practice:
“...it is essential to define giftedness in a way that both reflects best thinking in the field and moves beyond a focus on identification criteria to a deeper understanding of the complex nature of giftedness and the multi-faceted approach to services required to appropriately serve students with gifts and talents.” (NAGC, 2019)
Gifted and Talented students have the capacity to perform at higher levels than peers with the same background, experience, and environment. In order to thrive, these students require enhanced learning opportunities to realize their potential. According to the NAGC, students with gifts and talents:
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Come from all racial, economic, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds
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Require equitable and sufficient access to appropriate learning opportunities
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Need support and guidance to develop socially and emotionally along with their areas of talent
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Require varied services based on their changing needs
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May have learning and processing disorders requiring specialized intervention and accommodation.
Owasso Public Schools is dedicated to providing an exemplary educational experience for every gifted and talented student. This will be achieved through appropriate identification processes, targeted programming models, challenging learning opportunities, ongoing professional development for faculty and staff, and an annual process of reflection, evaluation, and implementation. OPS is also committed to providing parents with strategies for supporting their gifted and talented students.