Gifted Education

To meet the needs of gifted learners, services will be offered throughout the school year as indicated by the classroom teacher or gifted education testing.  Assessment of students’ academic needs is an ongoing process that begins informally in kindergarten.

• In all grades, students receive differentiated instruction, based upon their demonstrated needs.  Extended Reading and Extended Math are offered at all grades, K-5, to qualifying students.  

• Beginning in 3rd grade and continuing through 8th grade, standardized test information is considered in matching appropriate services to students.  The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) will be used to assess reasoning ability, a piece of the standardized test information.  

• The CogAT will be offered to all third grade students in August.  Students new to C.F.S.D. in grades 4-8 and those who are eligible to retest will have CogAT testing opportunities in August, January, and/or April/May.

• Students who qualify for gifted services may have their needs met through Extended Reading, Extended Math, and/or Extended Studies Cluster (IDS; for 3rd, 4th and 5th grade).  

• Successful performance in gifted services will be considered as part of the data in future placement decisions.

• At the high school level, students may self-select Honors or Advanced Placement classes based on proficiency in prerequisite knowledge and teacher recommendations.  

The district adopted subject area standards and benchmarks will provide the foundation for instruction in gifted education. There will be modifications in the content covered, the instructional methodologies used, and/or the products gifted students are asked to produce.

​

Special Education Program

The Special Education Department is committed to creating environments which are mutually respectful and individualized.  These environments support full participation of all individuals in every aspect of our community.  Parents are full participants in the educational process of their children.

A continuum of special education services exists to meet the needs of all students with disabilities.  This service continuum is aligned with Federal and State requirements.  Children attend their home schools whenever possible, attend class with non disabled students whenever appropriate, and receive direct and indirect services per their individual needs.

Catalina Foothills School District services the full range of students with disabling conditions.  Student disabilities include specific learning disabilities, autism, hearing impairments, speech or language impairments, visual impairments, orthopedic impairments, other health impairments, developmental delays, serious emotional disabilities, multiple disabilities, traumatic brain injuries, and multiple disabilities with sensory impairments.

Speech and Language services are provided for students identified with communication delays/deficits that negatively impact their academic progress. Qualifying conditions include:  articulation, fluency (stuttering), voice disorders, hearing impairment, receptive and/or expressive vocabulary, and/or processing delays/deficits.

​

English Language Learners (ELL)

The goal of the Catalina Foothills School District ELL program is to support the needs of students whose first language is other than English. The instructional program follows a Structured English Immersion Model.  Structured English Instruction (SEI) is an instructional approach used to make academic instruction in English understandable to ELLs. In the SEI classroom, teachers use physical activities, visual aids, etc. to teach vocabulary for concept development across subject areas. Direct instruction is provided through in-classroom and/or pull-out support, depending on the specific needs of the student. Our ELL coordinator assesses all incoming ELL students to determine their language proficiency level, and works with parents and teachers to establish the most appropriate program for each student.

​

Read Strong Program

The Read Strong program provides additional services in reading for students, primarily in grades K-2.  It is the first step in intervention for struggling readers.  Literacy specialists teach strategies and skills that assist students in achieving the standards and benchmarks of the district’s curriculum. This includes comprehension skills, vocabulary development, sight vocabulary, phonemic awareness, and phonics skills.  All students are screened yearly.  Those who score below grade level on standardized tests, district screening assessments, or who are referred by their classroom teacher, parents, or administrators may be eligible for this program.  Students are seen either on a one-to-one or small group basis, 4 days a week.