Gifted

Elementary resource gifted services provide enrichment activities that support the general education curriculum. Each elementary school has a full-time gifted teacher/enrichment coach. Each week, they meet with the students in small group sessions for enrichment activities that extend beyond the curriculum. They also work closely with the classroom teachers to provide additional enrichment to further challenge students.

Elementary Gifted Criteria

Elementary gifted services begin in third grade and continue through sixth grade. To qualify for elementary gifted services, students in second through fifth grade are first screened through the MAP test. Students must show a history of achieving a score of 95% or above on both the reading and math portions of the test over time. Parents who have children eligible for further testing will be notified of their eligibility prior to winter break. For these students, an online cognitive skills test is administered in January. Parents are notified of the results by early March. For qualified students, gifted services begin the following school year.

Elementary Acceleration Support

Students in kindergarten through second grade who are achieving high scores on the MAP test and performing at high levels academically in the classroom will have scheduled enrichment/acceleration opportunities throughout the week in literacy and math. High performing students in third grade through sixth grade may be flexed in and out of gifted instructional activities throughout the year depending on scheduling as well as the number of students identified for this additional acceleration. These opportunities may occur during the grade-level enrichment block, as a push-in to the classroom during literacy or math, or in a small group.

Magnet classes are located at Campanelli Elementary School.

Elementary Magnet Criteria

To qualify for the elementary magnet program, students in second through fifth grade must show a history of achieving a score of 98% or above on both the reading and math portions of the MAP test over time. Students must also score at or above the 98th percentile on both the verbal and nonverbal portions of the online cognitive skills test. Parents who have children eligible for further testing will be notified of their eligibility prior to winter break. For these students, an online cognitive skills test is administered in January.

Students meeting the criteria on the cognitive assessment will then take a standardized intelligence test given individually by the school psychologist. Students must score in the top 2% nationally to be eligible for this program. Parents are notified of the results by the end of April. For qualified students, services begin the following school year.

Students who are tested for the magnet program and do not meet the criteria will receive gifted services through the building-based program. Students who test for the magnet program and are not eligible based on their standardized intelligence test scores will not be tested the following year, but may qualify for testing every other year. For example, if a second-grade student tested for the magnet program and was found not eligible the next opportunity the student can test is in fourth grade.

View the District 54 Elementary Magnet Overview Presentation for more information.

Junior high services consist of enrichment in the core classes of language arts, social sciences and science.  This service, known as Discovery, is aligned to District 54 curriculum and Essential Outcomes and is taught at an advanced rate.

English/Language Arts – Discovery classes use high school level complex text and require a deep analysis of text as part of the coursework.

Science – Discovery classes use more complex text and require students to independently apply scientific inquiry and engineering problem-solving.

Social Sciences – Discovery classes use more complex text including primary and secondary source documents. Within this coursework, students study United States history along with the global impact of historical events.

Math – Math is not part of the Discovery program. A student’s math course is determined by other district criteria.

Discovery Criteria

Sixth-grade students are screened through the MAP test and must show a history of achieving a score of 95% or above on the reading portion of the test over time.

Sixth grade students currently receiving building-based elementary gifted services are automatically eligible for this program.

Students will take an online cognitive skills test in January. Students eligible for gifted services through the Junior High Discovery Program must score in the top 5% in either the verbal or the nonverbal portion of the test to be eligible. Parents are notified of the results by early March. Discovery is considered a two-year program at the junior high schools. No further testing for this program will occur after sixth grade.

Magnet classes are located at Mead Junior High School. The magnet program is considered a two-year program at the junior high schools. No further testing for these programs will occur after sixth grade.

English Language Arts – Magnet classes build off the elementary magnet coursework and use high school level complex text that requires a deep analysis as a part of the coursework.

Science – Magnet classes build on the complexity from elementary magnet coursework using the high school level Next Generation Science Standards as the road map.

Social Sciences – Magnet classes build upon the complexity of the elementary magnet coursework using the high school level of the Illinois Learning Standards for Social Sciences.

Math – Math is not part of the magnet program. A student’s math course is determined by other district criteria.

Junior High Magnet Criteria

Students who are part of our magnet program in sixth grade automatically continue in the junior high magnet program.

To qualify for the magnet program as a sixth-grader, students must show a history of achieving a score of 98% or above on both the reading and math portions of the MAP test over time. Students must also score at or above the 98th percentile on both the verbal and nonverbal portions of the online cognitive skills test. Parents who have children eligible for further testing will be notified of their eligibility prior to winter break. For these students, an online cognitive skills test is administered in January.

Students meeting the criteria on the cognitive assessment will then take a standardized intelligence test given individually by the school psychologist. Students must score in the top 2% nationally to be eligible for this program. Parents are notified of the results by the end of April. For qualified students, services begin the following school year.

Students who are tested for the magnet program and do not meet the magnet program criteria qualify for the Junior High Discovery program.

View the District 54 Junior High Magnet Overview Video for more information.

In unusual circumstances, when a child does not meet the requirements for gifted services in the district, a parent may request an appeal in writing.   

These appeals need to be sent to [email protected] or may be mailed to

Cynthia Gordon, Assistant Superintendent of Special Education
School District 54
524 E. Schaumburg Road
Schaumburg, IL  60194

Appeals are only accepted in unusual circumstances.

Students who move into the school district and received gifted services at their previous school will be considered for gifted service eligibility upon registration. New students to the district must meet District 54’s gifted eligibility requirements. Upon moving into the district, parents will need to register their students at their base schools. Upon receipt of gifted records from the previous school, District 54 will determine if a student is eligible for services or needs further assessment to determine eligibility. No outside private evaluations are accepted for any District 54 gifted service or programs.

Students in second through sixth grade who reside in District 54 are eligible for the screening process to identify gifted students, including those students who attend a private school or are home-schooled. Screening takes place during the current school year, to qualify for services during the following year. Should the student qualify, the student must be enrolled and attend the public school full time to receive services. Visit our Identifying Gifted Students from Private Schools page for more information about the screening process.