Application Forms

2023-24: Next School Year Gifted Preschool Application

• Students must be 4 years old by August 31st of the relevant school year. Students whose fourth birthday falls after school starts in August, but before September 1st, will be eligible to begin on the Monday following their birthday.
• Applications will not be reviewed until all required documentation has been submitted.
• Gifted Preschool applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-serve basis.
• When a Gifted Preschool program reaches enrollment capacity, approved applications will be placed on a waitlist.
• Transportation is not provided.
• Additional enrollment steps with Community Education are required after acceptance into the program.

Application Criteria for Self-Contained Gifted Preschool:

Applicants must meet the following criteria.

• Gifted qualification at 90 percentile or higher in one of these areas: verbal, non-verbal, and quantitative.

2023-24: Next School Year Kindergarten Application

2023-24: Next School Year Kindergarten Teacher Recommendation

Please note: there will not be a kindergarten classroom at Desert Cove Elementary for the 2023-24 school year.

• Students must be 5 years old before August 31st of the relevant school year.
• Applications will not be reviewed until all required documentation has been submitted.
• When a Comprehensive Gifted Self-Contained Classroom reaches enrollment capacity, approved applications will be placed on a waitlist.
• Students on the waitlist for the current year who have not been placed by the December cut-off will need to reapply for the next school year.
• Transportation is not provided for students attending a school other than their home school.
• Placement of special education students into the Comprehensive Gifted Self-Contained Classroom is contingent upon availability of special education services at the selected site. 

Priority Criteria for applications:

• Applicants residing within the Comprehensive Gifted Self-Contained Classroom schools' boundaries to which they are applying.
• Applicants who have siblings currently attending the school to which they are applying.
• Applicants who have completed the Gifted Preschool program at the school to which they are applying for Comprehensive Gifted Self-Contained Classroom for Kindergarten.

Application Criteria for Comprehensive Gifted Self-Contained Classroom for Kindergarten:

Applicants must meet one of the two following criteria.

• Gifted qualification at 97 percentile or higher in one of these areas: verbal, non-verbal, and quantitative.
• IQ of 128 or higher.

2023-24: Next School Year Self-Contained Grades 1-6 Application

2023-24: Next School Year Self-Contained
Grades 1-6 Teacher Recommendation

Please note: there will not be a grade 1 & 2 classroom at Desert Cove Elementary for the 2023-24 school year.

• Applications will not be reviewed until all required documentation has been submitted.
• When a Comprehensive Gifted Self-Contained Classroom reaches enrollment capacity, approved applications will be placed on a waitlist.
• Students on the waitlist for the current year who have not been placed by the December cut-off will need to reapply for the next school year.
• Students enrolled in the 1st-5th grade Comprehensive Gifted Self-Contained Classroom who successfully complete the school year are automatically enrolled for the next year and do not need to reapply.
• Transportation is not provided for students attending a school other than their home school.
• Placement of special education students into the Comprehensive Gifted Self-Contained Classroom is contingent upon availability of special education services at the selected site. 

Priority Criteria for applications:

• Applicants residing within the Comprehensive Gifted Self-Contained Classroom schools' boundaries to which they are applying.
• Applicants who have siblings currently attending the school to which they are applying.
• Applicants who have completed the Comprehensive Gifted Self-Contained Classroom for Kindergarten at the school to which they are applying but do NOT have siblings who attend the same school.

Application Criteria for Self-Contained Gifted Grades 1-6:

Applicants must meet one of the two following criteria, PLUS AASA results that meet or exceed grade-level standards (grades 4-6 only). AASA was formerly known as the AzMERIT.

• Gifted qualification at 97 percentile or higher in two areas, with a 90 percentile or higher in the third area; (verbal, non-verbal, and quantitative).
• IQ of 140 or higher.

Applicants that are current EL (English Learners):

EL applicants must meet one of the two following criteria, PLUS demonstrate accelerated learning needs that are two year beyond grade level, and have AASA results that meet or exceed grade-level standards (grades 4-6 only). AASA was formerly known as the AzMERIT.

• A score of 97 percentile or above on a Arizona State Board approved nonverbal ability test (preferably NNAT2), PLUS a score of 97 percentile or above in reading and mathematics on the Woodcock-Johnson Achievement Test administered one grade level ahead of the student's current grade level.
• IQ of 140 or higher.

Special consideration will be made for students with IEPs or 504s.

Applicants to both programs: a final decision between programs will need to be submitted to the Gifted Education Department's Administrative Assistant before December 13, 2022.

2023-24: Next School Year Journey and DLC Application

2023-24: Next School Year Journey
and DLC Teacher Recommendation

• Applications will not be reviewed until all required documentation has been submitted.
• When the DLC or Journey programs reach enrollment capacity, approved applications will be placed on a waitlist.
• Students on the waitlist for the current year who have not been placed by the December cut-off will need to reapply for the next school year.
• Students enrolled in the 7th grade DLC or Journey program who successfully complete the school year are automatically enrolled for 8th grade and do not need to reapply.
• Transportation is not provided for students attending a school other than their home school.
• Placement of special education students into the Comprehensive Gifted Self Contained Program is contingent upon availability of special education services at the selected site. 

Priority Criteria for applications:

• Applicants residing within the schools' boundaries to which they are applying.
• Applicants who attend an elementary school that is a feeder school of the middle school to which they are applying.
• Applicants who have siblings currently attending the school to which they are applying.

Application Criteria for Journey and DLC:

Applicants must meet one of the following four criteria, PLUS performing or highly performing in AASA reading and math in the previous school year. AASA was formerly known as the AzMERIT.

• Gifted qualification at 97 percentile or higher in two areas: verbal, quantitative or non-verbal.
• Gifted qualification at 97 percentile or higher in one area, AND 90 percentile or higher in the other two areas.
• Gifted qualification at 97 percentile or higher in one area, AND 90 percentile or higher in one other area PLUS a principal recommendation**.
• IQ of 135 or higher.

**If a principal recommendation is needed, please contact the Gifted Education Department's Administrative Assistant to initiate the recommendation.

Requests for transfers between Comprehensive Gifted Self-Contained Classroom schools can be initiated by emailing the Gifted Education Department's Administrative Assistant.

• Students must be currently enrolled in a Comprehensive Gifted Self-Contained Classroom.
• A brief application needs to be submitted for review.
• Transfer approval will depend on the application results and enrollment space available at the requested school site.
• Placement of special education students into the Comprehensive Gifted Self-Contained Classroom is contingent upon availability of special education services at the selected site. 
• Transfer requests will not be approved after the 3rd quarter of the current school year. If requested after the 3rd quarter, the transfer will not take effect until the following school year.