Gifted Education Program

Quality teaching, for every child every day, is the single most important factor in a student’s success in school. Students who demonstrate on level abilities have academic and intellectual needs that can be met in the regular classroom through quality, rigorous instruction, and a differentiated curriculum. Classroom teachers are being trained to provide various strategies to meet the needs of Tier I learners including, but not limited to, small groups, flexible groups, curriculum compacting activities, and inquiry units.

High-ability learners with data between the 85th and 94th percentile or have other evidence supporting gifted potential meet the criteria for Tier II Talent Pool Enrichment programming. These students show promising academic talents and require enrichment and/or acceleration to maximize their intellectual potential. Each school has a gifted endorsed, or soon to be, resource teacher on who supports students and school staff to create various academic and interest groups based on student need. Tier II Talent Pool Enrichment looks different in each building and may look different than other Tier II student within the same building.  Students tagged as Tier II Talent Pool Enrichment are monitored regularly. In some cases, and sometimes years later, students receiving enrichment may go on to be formally identified as gifted.

Students formally identified as Tier III Gifted and Talented receive an Advanced Learning Plan (ALP) with specific, measurable, and attainable learning goals based on the student’s strength(s) and personal interests. An appropriate level of challenge is created for gifted learners, through ALP goals, with emphasis on critical and creative thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making. These goals, contained in the Advanced Learning Plan, are progress monitored by student, teacher, and parent as the year progresses. The determination as to whether a student qualifies for District 49 School District’s Advanced Academics Gifted & Talented Program is solely within the discretion of the Gifted Review Team who follow the guidelines of the Colorado Exceptional Children’s Educational Act (ECEA) for gifted identification criteria.

Elementary School Offerings

• Gifted services vary depending on school
• During Break Camp (K-2nd) and (3rd-5th)
• After school enrichments

Middle School Offerings

• Gifted services offered as an elective
• During Break Camp (6th-9th)
• After school enrichments

High School Offerings

• Honors Academy
• Pathways
• Passion Project
• Field Trips
• After school enrichments

Other Offerings  

• Art Exhibition 12/16/24
• TIPPS
• District Gifted Fair 5/6/25