Academics

Overview

At the Spencer Center, CPS’ most academically promising students blossom in a flexible, rigorous environment. A new grade will be added each year until the school serves grades 3-12.

Gifted and exceptional students benefit from

  • A rigorous curriculum that connects the classroom to actual workplaces — providing students with opportunities for internships and career-based experiences to prepare them for the real world
  • Opportunities to study through exciting field experiences in Cincinnati, and, eventually, abroad
  • Wide array of fun, student-directed extracurricular and elective options
  • Latin classes to support students in understanding the linguistic roots of our modern culture
  • Unique electives, such as Yoga, robotics and mindfulness
  • Project-based, hands-on learning incorporating problem-solving and design-thinking to bring academic concepts to life
  • Advanced Placement (AP) and College Credit Plus (CCP) offerings to prepare students for rigorous college courses

At Spencer, a school community is built via

  • Schoolwide pep rallies and community meetings
  • Spirit Week
  • Project-based focus
  • Rotating elective and co-op choices
  • Student-led initiatives
  • Mindful attention to students' workloads

Who Can Attend the Spencer Center for Gifted and Exceptional Students?

Students currently attending Cincinnati Public Schools, as well as in-district students in private, charter or home schools, are eligible to apply to Spencer Center if they meet these eligibility requirements:

For Exceptional Students (grades 7-12)

  • Scores at the 85th percentile or greater in reading on the Iowa Achievement Test

Or

  • Scores at 123 or above on the Inview Cognitive Skills Index

Or

  • Scores at 123 or above on the CogAT Student-Aged Score (SAS) or other approved Cognitive Abilities Test

For Gifted Students (grades 7-12)

  • Rank at the Superior Cognitive Level on a Cognitive Abilities Test (as approved by Ohio Department of Education)

Or

  • Scores at the 95th percentile or higher in two of the following subjects on the Iowa Achievement Test or other state-approved standardized achievement test: Reading, Math, Science, Social Studies. One of the two subjects must be Math or Reading.

Advanced Placement Courses

  • Human Geography
  • U.S. History
  • American Government
  • Psychology
  • Environmental Science
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Calculus
  • Statistics
  • English

Foreign Languages

  • Latin
  • Spanish