Gifted Education Program
Desert Heights Charter Schools provides opportunities for students identified as Gifted, as measured by one of the state-approved assessments of cognitive abilities, that may be different from the regular classroom program; specifically, in content, process, product, and/or learning environment. As gifted students are gifted “all day, every day,” gifted instruction is provided as an integrated, differentiated learning experience during the regular school day which may include differentiated instruction, materials, and/or output; extensions; alternative grouping; alternative pacing; advanced math; Honors; Advanced Placement (AP); Dual Enrollment (DE); and/or other opportunities for enrichment.
Desert Heights Charter Schools provides routine screening using one of the state-approved assessments, the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT). To meet the state definition of giftedness in Arizona and at Desert Heights Charter School, a student must earn a score of 97% or higher in at least one of the three areas assessed-verbal, nonverbal, or quantitative reasoning.
For more information, please visit the following resources or e-mail our school coordinator.
ESEA Coordinator (Elementary and Secondary Education Act)
- Arizona Association for Gifted and Talented (AAGT)
- Arizona Future Problem-Solving Program
- Arizona Odyssey of the Mind
- ASU Tempe Math Circle: FREE to High School Students
- ASU Barrett Summer Scholars
- Discover Projects
- Herberger Young Scholars Academy, Grades 7-12
- The International Gifted Consortium
- Mensa Gifted Youth Program
- Davidson Institute
- Destination ImagiNation
- Genius Denied
- Hoagies Gifted Education
- The International Gifted Consortium
- Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth
- Johns Hopkins: Connecting Young Thinkers Around the World
- NAGC – National Association for Gifted Children
- NEAG Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development
- Northwestern University’s Center for Talent Development
- Purdue University’s Gifted Education Resource Institute (GERI)
- SENG – Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted
- The College Board Advanced Placement
- TGCS – The Gifted Child Society