Gilbert Public Schools outlines approach to gifted learning

Gilbert Public Schools’ goal for gifted learners is to help every student realize and reach their full potential, officials said.

Brent Gardner, the district’s coordinator of advanced learning, noted to the Gilbert Public Schools Governing Board that while gifted students typically make up about 3% of a school population, in Gilbert about 11% of students qualify for gifted services.

“That’s a challenge because it’s a very large number of students,” he said. “So how do we meet the need of all of these students?”

At the elementary level, the district has 50 gifted-endorsed teachers across 26 schools, with another 40 educators working toward endorsement this year.

Teachers must complete 90 hours of coursework for a provisional endorsement and another 90 hours for full endorsement.

Gardne