Changes to Ottawa public school board gifted program delayed

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board has delayed making controversial changes to its gifted program to allow staff to explore more options.

• Parents criticize Ottawa public school board plans to water down gifted program

The board has been considering eliminating specialized programs for some of the youngest students in the board after a sweeping review found "students with giftedness do as well whether in the regular program or specialized program class."

The report on the review recommends an itinerant teacher position be created. The teacher would support classroom teachers in the education of gifted primary students in the regular program once specialized programs are eliminated.

Under the current proposal, gifted programs would begin in Grade 5.

At a meeting on Tuesday night, trustees voted to do the following:

• Have school board staff and the special education advisory committee come up with more options to improve services for gifted kids and make them more accessible for under-represented groups.
• Switch to a geographic model using defined catchment areas to determine where gifted classes should be located.
• Have staff prepare an interim report on any new options by the end of May 2017, and a final report by the end of December 2017.
• Have staff prepare a plan to implement a new screening tool when the Ministry of Education's new definition for gifted students is announced.
• Have staff come up with a plan for professional development and coaching support for elementary school staff working in regular classrooms with gifted students no later than March 2017.