Definitions

Enrichment

Enrichment refers to the presentation of curriculum content with more depth, breadth, complexity, or abstractness than the general curriculum. Enrichment allows exploration in individual interest areas. Opportunities are provided within Gifted Cluster, Renaissance, and SAGE classrooms and also as afterschool and/or summer school programs.

Acceleration

Acceleration means presenting the curriculum content earlier or at a faster pace. Options may include:

•           Accelerating curriculum in the general classroom

•           Attending classrooms at the next grade level for part of the day

•           Placement in honors or advanced content classes

Differentiation

Arizona College and Career Ready Standards are taught while utilizing differentiated instructional strategies to meet the needs of gifted students.  Differentiated classrooms allow a gifted student to gain a deeper, broader understanding of the curriculum content.  For gifted children, choice is a vital component of all areas of differentiation. In alignment with the Arizona mandate and best practices in gifted education, teachers differentiate for gifted students by process, product, content, and learning environment.

Gifted Cluster Model

Cluster grouping is a full day service model.   Gifted students are grouped (typically 4-8 identified students) together in a classroom with teachers who are trained to differentiate the curriculum and environment for gifted students.

SAGE Content Replacement Pull Out Model

SAGE is a content replacement program in language arts and math for identified gifted students in grades 3-6.  All identified students meet daily in the SAGE classroom, in lieu of general education classrooms to receive their instruction in English language arts and/or math from an endorsed gifted teacher. 

Gifted Full Day Classrooms

Located at Canyon Springs and Highland Lakes Schools, Renaissance Academy provides an all-day differentiated learning experience addressing the individual needs of highly gifted students. 

Advanced Content Classes

At the middle school level, advanced-level courses are designed to provide a more rigorous curriculum and higher expectations for student performance. Advanced courses follow the Parallel Curriculum Model.

Placement Criteria

Eligibility for Cluster Grouping and SAGE Programs

Students who score at or above the 97th percentile will be placed in a Cluster Grouping or SAGE classroom for either English language arts and/or math. Depending on the programming available at your child’s school, they will be placed in either the SAGE program or appropriate Gifted Cluster classroom. 

Additionally, Deer Valley Unified School District has provisional placement (placement in the gifted program as long as the student is successful) when one of the following criteria has been met:

•           A percentile score of 95 or 96 in Verbal or Quantitative

•           A Verbal or Quantitative score of at least 85 with a Nonverbal score of at least 97 allows for provisional placement in one subject  

•           A composite score of 95 or higher

Eligibility for Renaissance Gifted Academies

DVUSD accepts applications for placement in one of the Renaissance Gifted Academies for students meeting specific criteria for intellectual and academic capabilities. On CogAT or a comparable assessment, students must score at the 97th percentile or above on at least two of the subtests and a minimum of 90th percentile on the third subtest. Additional criteria include documented achievement above grade level and gifted characteristic profiles completed by parents and teachers. A complete application must be submitted to DVUSD Gifted Services for placement consideration.

DVUSD Gifted Identification Matrix

Deer Valley has a district created matrix for use in special populations. Gifted teachers and specialists use the matrix primarily at Title I schools, which historically have low numbers of identified students in culturally and linguistically diverse populations. The matrix allows teachers to increase the number of students qualifying for services by considering multiple criteria including ability, achievement, and behavioral characteristics. Matrix identification and placement does not transfer outside of the targeted schools.

Gifted Testing Opportunities

DVUSD students can request testing at their home school by communicating with the home room teacher, SAGE teacher, or Gifted Specialist.

Students not enrolled in a DVUSD school can request testing by contacting the DVUSD Gifted Services department.

For More Information

Please contact your school’s SAGE teacher or Gifted Specialist about options at your school.

Please visit dvusd.org/Domain/95 for more information about options in Deer Valley.

Detailed information is available in the Gifted Services Handbook, located on your school and district websites.