Advanced academic services are implemented through school-based and countywide activities which comply with School Board and State objectives. The Office of Advanced Academics and Talent Development seeks to address the unique abilities, interests, and needs of advanced learners through differentiated curricula and instruction, accelerated experiences, and other extension opportunities.

Students may be identified as gifted in grades K-12 in mathematics, language arts, science, and social studies. School-based academic services are delivered:

• in open enrollment intensified courses in English Language Arts and Reading, Science, and Social Studies in grades 7 and 8 beginning in the 2023-2024 school year. (Grade 6 open enrollment intensified courses will begin the following school year, 2024-2025.) *Students who select this level of challenge and who are identified as gifted will be clustered within the same classroom with at least 10 students also identified in the same area.)
  • Middle School Academic Planning Presentation:  Open Enrollment Intensified Courses
  • Open Enrollment Intensified Courses:  Questions to Guide Families on Course Selection
• advanced courses in mathematics, world language and/or geography  *Students who are placed in advanced courses in mathematics and who are identified as gifted will be clustered within the same class with other students also identified in mathematics.)
• with teachers who have earned the minimum requirement of 40 gifted points (PIP: G-2.14 PIP-9) and who continue to seek additional opportunities to learn strategies and curricular resources written for gifted learners to strengthen their instruction; a collaborative cluster model in which the classroom teacher works with the AAC to plan, model, develop and/or present appropriately differentiated learning experiences for gifted students on a daily basis.

The benefits of a collaborative model are one of the ways schools strengthen services to provide gifted services to a much broader range of advanced learners. By working with teachers to add rigor and complexity to lessons, gifted learners get the daily challenge they need while offering more students the opportunity to think and problem solve at higher levels.In addition to classroom support, countywide enrichment opportunities include:

• Middle School Academic Hallmarks, 6-8, sponsored by Arts Education Office
• Junior Honors Band, 4-6 and Honors Band, 7-8, sponsored by Arts Education Office
• Junior Honors Orchestra, 4-6 and Honors Band, 7-8, sponsored by Arts Education Office