Madison Gifted Scope and Sequence

District Vision and Mission 

Inspiring passion for learning and leading in an ever-changing world. In the Madison Elementary School District, our mission is to foster success for every student through dynamic, engaging, and relevant learning experiences that support their academic, social, and emotional growth.

Definition of a Gifted Student:

Gifted students refers to children of lawful school age who score at or above the 97th percentile on national standards in verbal, nonverbal, or quantitative reasoning on any test from the State Board-approved list. Such students possess superior intellect, advanced learning ability, or both, to such a degree that they are not afforded the opportunity for otherwise attainable progress in regular classroom instruction and require specialized gifted education services to achieve at levels commensurate with their intellect, ability, and potential (ARS 15-779).

Definition of Gifted Education:

Students in Madison Elementary School District qualify for gifted services with a score of 97% or higher on any battery of the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT); the Naglieri General Abilities Test; the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC); or the Stanford Binet.

Philosophy:

The Madison Gifted Program recognizes that giftedness is a unique developmental journey requiring specialized, strength-based support. Aligned with the district’s vision to inspire a passion for learning and leading, we provide engaging learning environments where high-ability students are empowered to explore their full potential. We prioritize meaningful peer connection, student-led discovery, and the specific social-emotional needs of gifted learners.

Strategic Goals:

Differentiated Learning & Academic Challenge: We provide a specialized K–8 continuum that modifies and accelerates curriculum content, process, and product to meet diverse student abilities. Rigorous learning focuses on:

• Content: Using tools like Kaplan's Depth and Complexity icons for interdisciplinary exploration.
• Process: Promoting higher-order thinking via the Depth of Knowledge (DOK) framework.
• Product: Demonstrating mastery through sophisticated student work.

Diverse Learning Environments: Offer research-based service models, including cluster grouping, and comprehensive gifted environments and self-contained settings, K-8. 

Inclusive Identification: Use equitable, multi-faceted screening to identify gifted learners across all cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds, reflecting our diverse community.

Student Empowerment: Foster agency through personal goal-setting and student choice.

Critical Thinking & Innovation: Prepare students for success in an ever-changing world by cultivating transferable competencies that promote intellectual rigor, creativity, and proactive problem-solving.

Holistic Support: Prioritize wellness alongside academic achievement to support the "whole child," addressing the unique affective needs of gifted learners.

Professional Excellence: Provide specialized training, including gifted endorsement pathways, and on-site coaching to enhance instructional capacity.

Family & Community Partnership: Empower families through parent education nights, and resources that support student growth and help parents navigate the unique aspects of giftedness.

Enriched Opportunities: Offer a robust schedule of extracurricular competitions and supplemental experiences to challenge, inspire, and provide a full trajectory of growth for advanced learners

Madison supports an inclusive referral process, allowing parents, teachers, and administrators to refer students for gifted screening. To assist stakeholders in the identification process, the district offers program descriptions and information on the characteristics of gifted students across various formats. Schedules are published on district and school websites and school newsletters.

Annual Screening Cycles & Eligibility:

Gifted screening is offered throughout the year in the fall, mid-winter, spring, and summer, and during new student registration. Madison utilizes state-approved ability assessments to identify students in grades K–8, including:

• Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT)
• Naglieri General Ability Test (NGAT)

Students are identified for services at the 97th percentile or higher on any state-approved battery or with a Full Scale IQ score of 128 on a WISC V or Stanford Binet when administered by a licensed psychologist.

Outside testing by a district-approved tester or another school district is accepted.

Equitable Identification Practices:

The referral process is initiated for English Learners and students receiving free/reduced lunch when they meet specific academic performance thresholds. Additionally, outside evaluations and achievement data, such as AASA and MAP scores, are taken into account.

Universal Screener:

In the Spring, all 2nd-grade students are administered the CogAT as a state-approved universal gifted screener. Parents may opt their child out of this universal testing opportunity.

Expanded Access (Local Norming):

Madison expands access to gifted services for students who demonstrate high potential. Eligibility is determined by a Multi-Faceted Review of:

• Achievement scores (AASA, MAP, or Fastbridge).
• Teacher recommendations and student written responses.
• Current report cards.
• Title 1 status and under-represented population backgrounds.

Gifted Cluster Model (Elementary) - Grade K-4 Cluster Grouping Model

• Service Model: A school-wide cluster grouping model serves gifted students within general education classrooms at Madison Heights, Madison Rose Lane, and Madison Camelview.
• Student Placement: Kindergarten - fourth grade students who score in the 97th percentile on any approved state tests are strategically grouped with intellectual peers in this model.
• Instructional Approach: Differentiation strategies are utilized by cluster classroom teachers to extend the core curriculum, ensuring it remains directly aligned while effectively addressing the requirements of advanced students throughout the school day.

Gifted Content Replacement (Grades 1–4) - Grade 1-4 Content Replacement Model 

• Service Model: Simis Elementary School offers specialized Gifted Content Replacement services.
• Student Placement: Placements in this pull out model are provided for both Mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA) content areas and a Learning Lab for gifted students demonstrating a strength in non-verbal abilities.
• Instructional Approach: Differentiation is provided by an on-site gifted specialist who uses specialized extensions to the core curriculum. This model accelerates the pace and elevates the complexity of the content.

Honors/Advanced Learning Program (Grades 5–8) - Grades 5-8 Honors/Advanced Learning Courses

• Service Model: An honors program that provides advanced level courses in mathematics, and language arts for gifted-identified students in grades 5-8 at Madison No. 1, Madison Park, and Madison Meadows Middle Schools.
• Student Placement: Students are placed in Honors/Advanced Learning classes in grades 5-8 by gifted identification, review of student achievement data, work samples, and teacher and parent input.
• Instructional Approach: Advanced mathematics, science, and language arts courses feature increased rigor and complexity. Instruction includes enrichment, enhancement, and up to one year of acceleration beyond the core curriculum, offering critical and creative learning challenges.

REACH Program: Profoundly Gifted (Grades 1–8) - Signature Program

• Service Model: A self-contained, highly accelerated model (Rigorous, Enriched, Accelerated Curriculum for the Highly Gifted). The REACH program for students in grades 1-4 is located at Madison Heights and for students in grades 5-8 at Park Middle School.
• Student Placement: REACH qualification requires one of the following: a 99th percentile composite score on the CogAT (with no individual battery score below the 90th percentile), a Full Scale IQ score of 139+ on the WISC, or a Full Scale IQ score of 142+ on the Stanford Binet.
• Instructional Approach: This program provides highly gifted students in grades 1-8 with curriculum two grade levels ahead, including daily Spanish, to function commensurate with their abilities. REACH students may earn one year of High School Mathematics, ELA, or Foreign Language credit.

Madison is committed to meeting the unique cognitive and affective needs of gifted students through specialized services and accelerated learning opportunities. Our rigorous K–8 curriculum is delivered by differentiating across three core areas, all guided by a clear Instructional Focus and integrated with Arizona State Standards.

• Content: Integration of complex, abstract ideas using tools like Kaplan’s Depth and Complexity icons.
• Process: Promotion of higher-order thinking through the Depth of Knowledge (DOK) framework.
• Product: Requirement of diverse and complex student work to demonstrate mastery.

Differentiation & Instructional Strategies:

To ensure academic challenge, Madison educators utilize high-impact strategies across all gifted service models:

• Strategic and Flexible Grouping: Students are placed in designated classrooms to facilitate peer collaboration, specialized instruction, and flexible grouping based on evolving learning needs.
• Advanced Instructional Models: Educators utilize curriculum mapping to ensure vertical alignment, alongside Project-Based Learning (PBL), curriculum compacting, and literature studies to provide a continuum of complexity.
• Evidence-Based Mastery: Pre-testing for content mastery and formative assessments allow for subject acceleration, increased depth, and long-term enrichment projects.
• Inquiry & Critical Thinking: Learning is driven by Socratic Seminars, inquiry-based questioning, and Depth of Knowledge (DOK) frameworks to build higher-order thinking skills.

Personalized Support

• Collaborative Stakeholder Support: A unified network of Gifted Coordinator, administrators, counselors, and teachers ensures comprehensive support for every learner.
• Enrichment Pathways: Students access specialized learning based on qualification and interest, including second language acquisition, coding, and STEM initiatives.
• Social-Emotional Focus: Instruction emphasizes self-awareness, asking "Who am I as a learner and collaborator?" to help students contribute meaningfully to their school community.

Curricular Materials

• District adopted as the core curriculum
• District supplemental materials
• Grade-level, standards-based extension opportunities
• Junior Great Books
• Michael Clay Thompson Grammar Analysis
• Wordly Wise Vocabulary Development
• Khan Academy for mathematical practice and spiral review

Student Affective Needs

The social development of gifted students is supported through a multi-tiered system that balances universal foundations with individualized support. Tier 1: All students participate in classroom-integrated PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) lessons. These establish clear expectations and proactive strategies to foster a consistent school-wide culture of positive reinforcement. Tiers 2 & 3: Students requiring additional assistance receive targeted small-group or intensive one-on-one interventions from a school counselor or social worker. These data-driven transitions address specific emotional or interpersonal challenges. To promote long-term personal and academic growth, all specialized interventions are aligned with evidence-based CASEL competencies.

Affective Needs Orientation for Parents and Teachers

The district's gifted coordinator leads professional development, offering ongoing learning opportunities for staff on best practices for gifted education, including managing an annual in-district cohort for gifted endorsement course. Madison also hosts a quarterly Gifted Speaker Series, featuring national and local professionals, accessible to all district stakeholders, to address the needs of parents supporting a neurodiverse child.

Identification and Monitoring of "At-Risk" Gifted Students

Madison uses the following process to identify and monitor at-risk gifted learners:

• Open Referral Process: Maintain an accessible referral system for parents, students, and teachers utilizing a tiered system to address targeted skills and needs.
• Academic Case Management: Gifted teachers monitoring academic performance and providing interventions during guided study time, tier 2 and tier 3 intervention opportunities.
• Social-Emotional Support: Gifted staff coordinate with school social workers and counselors to monitor student well-being. Targeted support for behavioral health and social-emotional needs is provided both within the classroom and through specialized school professional services

Supplemental Services for Gifted Learners 

Enrichment & Independent Learning:

• Grades 5–8 students receive daily enrichment and Tier 2 support during a dedicated Guided Study period. REACH students can pursue self-directed growth through differentiated enrichment and independent study projects.

Teacher Support and Gifted Professional Learning & Training

Madison provides comprehensive support and specialized training to ensure educators are equipped to meet the cognitive and affective needs of gifted learners. Our multi-faceted approach to professional growth includes:

Specialized Training & Professional Development

Madison maintains an active partnership with the Arizona Association for Gifted and Talented (AAGT), covering registration fees for teachers to attend annual conferences and specialized workshops. Recent training initiatives have focused on:

• Instructional Excellence: Ongoing development in differentiation strategies and Project-Based Learning (PBL) for middle school educators.
• Equity & Identification: Targeted sessions on identifying and supporting gifted students with depth and complexity strategies.
• Social-Emotional Support: Specialized training for administrators, counselors, and psychologists focused on the unique Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) needs of gifted learners.
• Annual Summer Summit: Madison hosts a collaborative, six-hour Summer Summit held annually in late May. This event unites local school districts to focus on shared best practices and innovation in gifted education.

Continuous Teacher Support & Resources

To maintain a high standard of instruction, Madison offers a robust suite of recurring support systems:

• Professional Learning Communities (PLCs): Teachers participate in Cluster Teacher Trainings and dedicated PLCs.
• In-Depth Cluster Training: Educators receive specialized, in-depth cluster teacher training focused specifically on evidence-based best practices for the cluster model.
• On-Demand Resources: Educators have "one-click" access to the Gifted Teacher HUB and the Gifted Resource Google Site.
• Expert Coaching and Mentoring: The Gifted Coordinator provides direct support for lesson planning, data analysis, and fostering strong parent-student relationships. 
• Communication: Regular updates and resources are provided through the Gifted Speaker Series (four times annually) and the Gifted News & Notes monthly communication.

Certification & Excellence

Madison strongly encourages and supports teachers in earning and maintaining their Gifted Endorsement. All educators within the REACH, Cluster, or Honors programs are required to either hold this endorsement or be actively working toward it, ensuring a qualified expert leads every gifted student.

Parent and Community Engagement

Madison actively promotes a collaborative environment by providing parents and the community with multiple avenues for engagement and support.

Families have access to the Gifted Scope and Sequence and on-demand resources through the district website and dedicated Gifted Parent Portal. Communication is prioritized via weekly Parent Square communications, monthly in Gifted News & Notes, parent-teacher conferences, and ongoing dialogue with classroom teachers and the District Gifted Coordinator.

On a weekly basis, gifted classroom and REACH teachers integrate the community into the curriculum by hosting guest readers, tutors, and STEM experts. Engagement opportunities also include the Gifted Speaker Series, and the annual REACH Showcase.

Prospective families are invited to explore programs through campus tours and REACH shadow days.

The REACH Council meets once a month with the Director for Signature Programs and other administrators as warranted. These meetings are designed to proactively develop opportunities for students. The schedule of meetings is posted in the quarterly REACH Council newsletter.

Additionally, the district utilizes Family Feedback surveys to ensure the program remains responsive to the needs of the community.

Program Assessment Data

Madison Gifted Services utilizes a comprehensive evaluation framework to ensure program excellence and student growth through the following measures:

Academic Excellence and Test Data

Educators analyze performance data for individual gifted students and the group as a whole to monitor progress and identify specific needs. This evaluation includes NWEA MAP to measure growth against national averages of similar populations (norm-referenced) and the AASA State assessment to ensure students are proficient in grade-level content (criterion-referenced). Additionally, common formative assessments created by the district are used throughout the year to measure ongoing student success regarding State Standards. Progress is tracked meticulously at the individual, site, and district levels.

Informal Measures and Stakeholder Input

The district ensures program accountability through multiple methods, including teacher interviews and open forums. Additionally, at least two parent surveys are conducted annually to pinpoint program strengths and areas requiring improvement. Additional feedback is gathered through informal parental input and anecdotal evidence from gifted teachers, administrators, and students during orientations and open houses. To ensure instructional quality and consistency, district and site administrators perform regular, direct observations of gifted classrooms.

Key Indicators of Success and Performance Standards

Madison maintains high expectations for all gifted learners, with success measured by various qualitative and quantitative indicators:

• Academic Achievement: Gifted students are expected to exceed the standard in their specific field of qualification. Progress is monitored through test scores, classroom grades, and comparisons with the scores of the general student population.
• Student Engagement: Key indicators include student interest and excitement regarding programming, consistent classroom attendance, and high student retention rates.
• Community Satisfaction: Success is reflected through positive parental feedback and strong community support.
• Leadership Opportunities: Students will have access to leadership opportunities within their school communities through involvement in clubs, mentoring, and social service organizations.
• Academic Competitions: Students can access various academic competitions and showcases throughout the district, community, and state.
• Collaborative Goals: Specific grade-level and content area goals are set through collaboration between the teacher, student, and parents

Staffing

Staffing and Class Ratios: To facilitate effective learning environments, the following maximum student-to-teacher ratios are maintained:

• Cluster Model (K-4): Ratios range from 1:26 in Kindergarten to 1:32 in grades 3 and 4.
• Content Replacement Model: 1: 32 in grade 1-4.
• Honors Model (5-8): The maximum staff-to-student ratio is 1:36.
• Profoundly Gifted Program (REACH): Ratios are capped at
  • 1:26 for grades 1-2,
  • 1:29 for grades 3-4
  • 1:33 for grades 5-8.

Instructional Support Roles: Madison utilizes a multi-layered approach to support the academic growth of every gifted student:

Gifted Cluster and Honors/Advanced Learning Teachers: Provide primary differentiated instruction tailored to the unique cognitive needs of learners.

Gifted Content Replacement Specialist: Support students and on-site teachers by implementing advanced strategies such as curriculum compacting, subject-area acceleration, and providing enrichment and extension opportunities.

Gifted Coordinator: Oversees the professional learning, gifted endorsement courses, gifted identification data and gifted staff support through instructional strategies and best practices. Ensures that the specific needs of gifted learners are prioritized and met at every campus.

Administrative Oversight and Testing

The district provides all necessary testing supplies, including CogAt assessments and the staff required for administration throughout the school year. Programs are overseen by a collaborative team from Educational Services, including the Director for Curriculum and Instruction and the Directors for Signature Programs, Student Services, and Research and Evaluation.

Budgeting

Madison Gifted Services manages a comprehensive budget to ensure all programs are fully resourced and supported through the following allocations:

Budgeting and Supplemental Allocation:

The entirety of the Gifted Education Supplemental Grant is dedicated to supporting the professional development of teachers, including attendance at state and national gifted conferences. Additionally, all Title IV-A funds are transferred to Title II to support professional development for the broader teaching staff. The district also utilizes M&O, Title I, and Title II funds to provide ongoing training and membership fees in gifted organizations for educators.

District Support and Resources:

Teacher salaries and benefits are funded through the district’s M&O budget. Madison also provides full funding for essential curriculum resources and supplemental materials to ensure high-quality classroom instruction. These resources include, but are not limited to:

• Wordly Wise
• Membean
• Handwriting Without Tears
• Word Masters
• Depth and Complexity Icons
• Junior Great Book Reading Materials