Academics

Overview

At the Spencer Center, CPS’ most academically promising students blossom in a flexible, rigorous environment. 

Gifted and exceptional students benefit from

• Latin classes to support students in understanding the linguistic roots of our modern culture
• Project-based, hands-on learning incorporating problem-solving 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

• Project-based focus
• Rotating electives
• Student-led initiatives
• Mindful attention to social-emotion development

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 or above the 85th percentile on the Iowa/TerraNova Reading test,
  OR
• Scores at or above the 85th percentile on the Mathematics section of the Iowa/TerraNova test; in addition to scoring no lower than the 60th percentile on the Reading section of the Iowa/TerraNova 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).

For Gifted Students (grades 7-12)

• Rank at the Superior Cognitive level on a cognitive abilities test
  OR
• Score at the 95th percentile or higher in two of the following subjects on the Terra Nova or other standardized achievement test: Reading, Math, Social Studies or Science. One of the two subjects must be either Math or Reading.

Advanced Placement Courses

• U.S. History
• American Government
• Psychology
• Biology
• Calculus
• Statistics
• English
• Physics
• Psychology
• Language

Foreign Languages

• Latin (Grades 5-6 and 7-12)
• Spanish (Grades 3-4 and 7-12)