High Contrast MENU Find it Fast Gifted Education Gifted Education Overview Gifted Cluster & Pullout/Content Replacement Self-Contained Gifted Program at Towne Meadows Elementary Gifted, Talented and Creative (GTC) at Highland Junior High School Gifted Education Parent Council Home Academics Gifted Education Gifted Education Overview Gilbert Public Schools Gifted Program Information Gilbert Public Schools is a premier provider of services to Pre-K through Grade 12 students identified as gifted or twice-exceptional, using research-based instruction to address the needs of the whole child. To achieve this vision, GPS seeks to: Address the social, emotional, cognitive, academic, physical, and kinesthetic needs of each gifted or twice-exceptional student. Use state-of-the-art diagnosis and pre-assessment tools that enable teachers to provide a rigorous curriculum at an appropriate instructional level for each student, with options that allow differentiation, individualization, and flexibility. Address the specific needs of gifted, highly gifted, profoundly gifted and twice-exceptional students using hands-on and project-based learning and innovative use of technology. Ensure appropriate training and professional development for teachers of gifted education students. Provide mechanisms for effective communication between families and school professionals. Testing Updates for 2021–22 School Year: The Fall Testing window is August 9–September 3, 2021. Any requests received after August 30th will be considered for May 2022 testing. The May testing window is May 2–26, 2022. All 2nd and 3rd grade students will be administered the CogAT gifted blanket screener in February 2022. How to Request Gifted Testing The Request for Gifted Application forms are now available via each school's individual website under Classrooms, Gifted Education. Please contact your student's enrolled campus if you have any questions or concerns. Elementary Gifted Services Great effort is made to provide the most appropriate placement for every child attending Gilbert Public Schools. Our elementary schools use the cluster and replacement models to serve gifted students in grades K–6. These programs comply with a legislative mandate requiring schools to provide services for academically-talented and ambitious students who need challenges beyond the regular classroom setting. Self-Contained Elementary Gifted Program A 4th, 5th and 6th grade Self-Contained Elementary Gifted Program is offered at Towne Meadows Elementary School. Learn More Junior High Honors Program Junior High Honors is designed to provide academic acceleration and enrichment for the academically able and ambitious student. Grades in honors classes are weighted grades. It is recommended that students maintain a grade of C or better to continue in the honors sequence. Students who have not participated in the Accelerated Learning Program at the elementary level will need to qualify for the junior high program. Please contact your junior high counselor for information regarding the indicators. Gifted Talented and Creative (GTC) Program A 7th and 8th grade Gifted Talented and Creative (GTC) Program is offered at Highland Junior High School. Learn More High School Honors Program High School Honors is designed to provide academic acceleration and enrichment for the academically able and ambitious student. Students who have not participated in the Honors Program at the junior high level will need to qualify for the high school program. There are several indicators that are used to determine eligibility for honors classes. Please contact your high school counselor for information regarding the indicators. GPS Gifted FAQ Expand All How are students assessed for Gifted Identification? Great effort is made to provide the most appropriate placement for every child attending Gilbert Public Schools. GPS currently utilizes the state approved CogAT Form 7 computer-based assessment to identify students for Gifted Services. Students who score in the 95th percentile are eligible for Gifted Services and will receive specific information about the services available to qualified students through their enrolled school site. Gilbert Public Schools universally screens all enrolled 2nd graders in early spring. Screening is completed by your child’s classroom teacher during the regular school day. Students and their families who qualify for additional testing will be notified individually by the student’s enrolled campus. Gifted Contact Dr. Karen Coleman, Special Area/Gifted Coordinator 480-497-3476 What is the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT)? The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) is a group-administered assessment intended to estimate students' learned reasoning and problem-solving abilities. The test is divided into three independent batteries: Verbal, Quantitative and Non-Verbal. All three batteries appraise inductive and deductive reasoning. Each battery also appraises additional cognitive abilities that specifically relate to that battery: Verbal: Picture Analogies--Sentence Completion--Picture Classification Quantitative: Number Analogies--Number Puzzles--Number Series Non-Verbal: Figure matrices--Paper Folding--Figure Classification Scores indicate the relative standing of a student in comparison to other students in a particular norm group. The percentile rank designates the percent of students in the norm group who earned scores that were the same as or lower than a particular score. For example, if a fourth-grade student receives a 92 percentile score on the Verbal Battery, it means that 92% of fourth-grade students in the standardization sample received scores lower than the score achieved by this particular student. How can my child be considered for Gifted Testing? Students in grade 2 will be screened as part of their grade level program by their classroom teacher. Families who do not wish to have their child participate in the universal screening may opt out. For students not enrolled in Grade 2, there is an online form (found on the individual school's website under Classrooms, Gifted Education), that may be completed by the parent/guardian to request consideration for Gifted Testing. This request is routed to your student’s elementary school to process and consider. Each individual campus manages these requests and will notify parents and/or guardians. Information regarding your school's process can be found by contacting your child's school. My child was tested in another school district. Do those scores count? Scores from other districts will be evaluated by the Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment Department. Gifted scores must be a result from an ADE State Approved Test and align with Gilbert Public Schools Gifted Criteria. To have your student's Out of District Gifted Testing Results evaluated, please send to: Contact Lynn Emerson, District Test Coordinator at 480-497-3392 for email instructions Mail to:Gilbert Public Schools, Lynn Emerson, District Test Coordinator Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment, 140 S Gilbert RD, Gilbert, AZ 85296 Is summer Gifted Testing Available? Gilbert Public Schools does not offer summer Gifted Testing. Gifted Education Department Contacts D Dr. Karen Coleman 480-497-3476 | Special Area/Gifted Coordinator K Kelly Blackham 480-497-3340 | Administrative Assistant D Dr. Matthew Moix 480-497-3322 | Twice-Exceptional Coordinator Last Modified on August 9, 2021 Visit Us 140 South Gilbert Road Gilbert , AZ 85296 Get Directions Contact Us Phone: 480-497-3300 Email Us Stay Connected Non-Discrimination Policies & Website Accessibility Contact Us Employment Site Map Back to Top © Gilbert Public Schools District. All rights reserved. | Mesa & Gilbert, Arizona | A+ School of Excellence is a trademark or service mark of the Arizona Educational Foundation and is used by permission. Questions or Feedback?Terms of UseBlackboard Web Community Manager Privacy Policy (Updated) Copyright © 2002-2021 Blackboard, Inc. All rights reserved.