Gifted

At Neely, we are committed to meeting the needs of gifted and twice-exceptional learners through research-based instruction that nurtures the whole child. Our gifted services are designed to provide challenge, enrichment, and support so students can reach their full potential academically, socially, and emotionally. Families are valued partners in this process, and we work together to create meaningful educational experiences for gifted learners.

Gifted Services at Neely

Cluster Support (K–1):

Classroom teachers collaborate with a Gifted teacher to provide enrichment and differentiation within the regular classroom setting. The Gifted Teachers provide direct enrichment services 30 minutes/4 days a week.

Pull-Out Services (Grades 2–6):

Gifted students receive direct instruction in Language Arts and/or Math from a certified gifted teacher in a full-classroom setting, learning alongside peers who also qualify for gifted services. In 5th and 6th Grades, students who qualify on the COGAT in the Non-Verbal area receive direct instruction in science and social studies.

Math is taught one grade level ahead of Neely students using the Math in Focus curriculum. That will put them at the 2-year-old age level peers.
Language Arts is taught using the Spalding Method and ReadyGen curriculum with different ways to teach to reach their creativity (i.e., socratic seminars).

Pull-out services each year are dependent on the number of students who qualify.

Identification & Assessment:

Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) administered in 1st grade.
Students may also be assessed in the fall and spring based upon teacher or parent request.

Gifted-Endorsed Teachers: Neely is proud to have 6 teachers with gifted endorsements who bring expertise in meeting the needs of advanced learners

Neely Traditional Academy (opens in new window/tab)

Request Gifted Testing about Neely Traditional Academy (opens in new window/tab)

Cluster Classroom

Gifted Cluster & Gifted Instruction

Our elementary schools use the cluster model or are instructed by a highly qualified and gifted endorsed teacher. These programs support our students who are identified as gifted through testing (CogAt or IQ) or twice exceptional. Gifted students are academically-talented students who excel in their ability to think and reason and need academic challenges beyond the regular classroom setting to address the needs of the whole child.

Cluster Classroom Support

The cluster model is offered at all GPS elementary schools, K-6 grades - Gifted students are clustered into mixed-ability classrooms while receiving instruction and support on a daily basis from teachers who understand and are trained in the learning needs of gifted students.

All of our schools provide Gifted Cluster classrooms.

Identified gifted students are clustered into mixed-ability classrooms.
Classroom compositions are carefully structured with two main goals: to ensure a balance of ability and achievement throughout the grade level and, secondly, to reduce the learning range found in any classroom.
The Gifted Cluster Model provides a structure wherein gifted students receive differentiated curriculum and instruction in content areas on a daily basis by teachers who understand the learning needs of gifted students.
The gifted cluster teacher participates in training that addresses the learning and affective needs of gifted students.

Programs & Services

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 model or are instructed by a highly qualified and gifted-endorsed teacher. 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.

Gifted Academy

A 4th, 5th and 6th grade Gifted Academy, previously known as Self-Contained Elementary Gifted Program, is offered at Towne Meadows Elementary School.

Testing Information

Parents may request that their child be tested for gifted services once each calendar year, and GPS offers two opportunities - in August and February. All GPS-enrolled 2nd-grade students will be "blanket gifted tested" between May 1 - May 21, 2024.

Gifted Testing Request Forms will be posted on each school's website.

	Request Forms Open	Test Request Deadline	Campus Testing
Fall 2025 Testing	July 23, 2025	August 15, 2025	Early September
Spring 2026 Testing	December 1, 2025	February 6, 2026	February 09 - 20

Parent Council

Gifted Education Parent Council

The GEPC was formed in 2015 to mirror the GPS Special Education Parent Council.

The council facilitates a collaborative effort toward the eventual fulfillment of the GPS gifted vision statement to be 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.”

Gifted Education Parent Council Purpose

The purpose of the Gifted Education Parent Council is to act as a liaison from district to campus and from campus to district.

The expected outcomes are:

Provide positive support and resources for other parents with gifted, including twice exceptional (2e), students.
Develop collaborative partnerships with school staff and administrators at the district and campus level.

Members of the Gifted Education Parent Council shall act as a liaison from the district to their campus by:

Sharing information about educational programs, procedures, and resources from the district with other parents of gifted, including 2e, students;
Utilizing various ways to communicate: campus newsletter, small group meetings, PTA/PTO meetings, individual parent contact, etc.;
Being a resource to campus staff and principal(s) for parents needing assistance with the gifted, including 2e, process;
Partnering with school staff in identifying and coordination of appropriate parent training; and
Modeling positive and collaborative relationships with campus staff and principal.

Members of the Gifted Education Parent Council shall act as a liaison from the campus to the district by:

Sharing information reflecting campus gifted, including 2e, programs and services;
Providing input addressing the needs of gifted, including 2e, programs and services;
Collaborating and participating in the identification of parent and staff training needs; and
Collaborating with district gifted, including 2e, staff in ongoing review and development of district programs and services for gifted, including 2e, students.

Members of the GEPC are encouraged to form a positive and collaborative relationship with their principal so that the genuine needs of gifted students, their families, and their teachers can be identified and addressed. The foundational principle of gifted education is to identify and support a student’s strengths, while also recognizing and supporting the student’s deficits. This principle isn’t just for gifted education, rather all students would benefit from having such a principle guide their educational growth.

Mission Statement

We are parents and educators supporting the GPS Gifted Education mission statement by addressing the needs of gifted students of all ages and their families.

We do this through:

Empowering guardians through education by providing opportunities to:
- Learn how a child’s giftedness impacts his or her development.
- Learn how to address the social, emotional, academic, physical, and kinesthetic  needs of gifted and twice-exceptional students.
- Learn how to advocate for their student(s) through respectful and collaborative bridge building.
Helping gifted students connect to peers through activities and service to others.
Advocating for gifted students through:
- Effective communication with families and the district.
- Publicizing legislative actions that impact gifted students.

Together we can ensure that every GPS gifted student has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive.

GEPC Parent Resources

Gifted Inventory for Parents/Teachers (pdf)

Prepared by the GEPC:

Elementary: How to choose a program for your gifted child
Junior High: How to choose a program for your gifted child
GEPC Book List (pdf)
Gifted Book Request Form

Contact GEPC at giftededucationparentcouncil@gmail.com.

FAQs

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 97th percentile are eligible for Gifted Services and will receive information about the services available at their enrolled school site.

Gilbert Public Schools universally screens all enrolled 2nd graders in May. 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.

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(ren) 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 Academics, 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 Manager, at 480-497-3392 OR
Email results OR
Mail to:
Gilbert Public Schools
Attn: Lynn Emerson, District Test Manager Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment
140 S Gilbert Rd
Gilbert, AZ 85296

In This Section

Gifted

Gifted Services at Neely

Cluster Support (K–1):

Pull-Out Services (Grades 2–6):

Identification & Assessment:

Cluster Classroom

Gifted Cluster & Gifted Instruction

Cluster Classroom Support

Programs & Services

Elementary Gifted Services

Gifted Academy

Testing Information

Testing Information

Parent Council

Gifted Education Parent Council

Gifted Education Parent Council Purpose

Mission Statement

GEPC Parent Resources

Prepared by the GEPC:

FAQs

How are students assessed for Gifted Identification?

What is the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT)?

How can my child be considered for Gifted Testing?

My child was tested in another school district. Do those scores count?

Is Summer Gifted Testing Available?