ENROLLMENT PROCEDURES

Referral and Screening

Characteristics common to gifted children are made available at the school sites and on the district website to help aide in the recommendation process. Letters notifying parents of testing are in Spanish and English.

In the nomination/referral form, parents are given an opportunity to grant or withhold permission for testing. Any Chandler Unified School District (CUSD) staff member, student, or guardian may request testing for a student by filling out an application/permission form which is available at each Chandler school as well as on the school district web site. Information regarding testing dates is published in the school district newsletter.

As a screening process, all second graders, unless they decline testing, are tested mid-year to determine qualification district-wide for the self-contained gifted program. This blanket screening of all second graders ensures that equity and consideration of all students is given.

Transfer Students

If a student received gifted services in a previous district, parents are asked to forward testing records for review by the gifted office. Parents or guardians are informed of the gifted service options that are available once eligibility has been verified. Qualified students may submit an Open Enrollment Application to be considered for the gifted program. School assignments and program placement for these students are made as space is available in the self-contained classes, or consultative services are arranged at the receiving school.

Open Enrollment

All students applying for self-contained gifted services, must complete an Open Enrollment Application online. Gifted Programming applications will not be reviewed until the Gifted office has received Gifted Test scores. Gifted Programming applications will be initially reviewed by the Gifted office with final approval from the principal of the requested school.

If you are applying for Gifted Services, you will have the option of selecting one Gifted Program site and one additional School Choice. If your child is taking the Gifted Test after you submitted the Open Enrollment application, the date of the Gifted test scores will SUPERSEDE the Open Enrollment Application date for Gifted Program sites ONLY.

Please visit the Open Enrollment section for more information.

Requesting Consultative Services

All gifted services are initiated by parent request. Parents can request consultative services at any elementary school site. Please use the Gifted Department contact information below to arrange services.

Withdrawal Procedures

Once a child has been identified as gifted, he/she will remain in the CATS program unless the parents decline services. No formal services will be provided once a child is withdrawn from the program, unless the parents request consultative services in the general education classroom. Every effort will be made to help children succeed once they have been placed in the CATS program. If excessive challenges persist, a plan of action will be developed by a team consisting of parents, CATS teacher, site Principal, and Gifted Education Specialist to support the student. Opportunities for success will be explored for all gifted children if they lack study skills, have behavior problems, or find difficulty with the work. Every effort will be made to address the needs of a child in the CATS program. Individual circumstances will be considered in the hopes that the right decision be reached concerning what is deemed best for the success of the child.