DCSD Advanced Academics & Gifted Ed
November 2025
Douglas County School District Advanced Academics & Gifted Education
Equity of Access ~ Opportunity ~ Agency ~ Empowerment
Vision: We seek out, surface, and nurture the potential in each student in DCSD.
Mission: We partner with staff, students, families, and our community to design/refine/implement equitable and culturally responsive systems of identification and programming for high potential/advanced/gifted students from all demographic groups in all schools.
Email: gifted.education@dcsdk12.org
Website: dcsdk12.org/gifted-education
Location: 620 Wilcox St, Castle Rock, CO 80104
Phone: 303-387-0191
Universal CogAT Testing for 5th and 6th grade in November
Please note: 5th and 6th grade universal CogAT testing applies to students who have not already been identified for gifted programming in DCSD neighborhood elementary schools and select charter schools. Check your school's website for more information.
Dear Parents/Guardians,
DCSD is committed to implementing equitable practices to increase access to advanced/gifted learning opportunities. Based on state and national recommendations and requirements, we implement Universal Screening for students in 2nd grade (February) and 5th or 6th grade--a student's final year of elementary school (November).
Starting in the 2026-2027 school year, we will be testing only 5th graders in Douglas County in November. In preparation for this, we will be testing all 5th & 6th graders this November so as to not miss any students in the transition process.
5th & 6th Grade Universal Screen
As part of this process, ALL students in 5th & 6th grade not identified for gifted programming will take the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) in November. This assessment indicates the level and pattern of cognitive development of a student in comparison to grade and age mates. These general reasoning abilities, which start developing at birth and continue through early adulthood, are influenced by experiences gained both in and out of school.
In alignment with DCSD’s Strategic Plan, starting in the 2026-2027 school year, we will be testing only 5th graders in Douglas County in November. In preparation for this, we will be testing all 5th & 6th graders this November so as to not miss any students in the transition process.
Gifted Identification Referral Testing
If your child is in grades 3 and 4, and you believe they need evaluation for Gifted Identification and Services, you may refer your child for testing by initiating the Gifted Identification Process.
NOTE: Requesting this assessment automatically initiates the process to evaluate for Gifted Identification.
Please request CogAT testing for your child by completing the Referral for Gifted Identification linked on your school's gifted education website or on the DCSD website HERE.
Upon receipt of this form the Gifted Education Facilitator will connect with you to discuss next steps in the gifted identification process.
Discovery Applications will open soon!
We will be sending out a separate notification after the window for Discovery applications opens. We anticipate they will be available by the end of this week or early next week. You can check the website to access the application as soon as it is available!
Learn how DCSD prepares students for life after high school!
The Career Path EXPO will showcase the many Postsecondary Readiness opportunities available to our students, including Career and Technical Education (CTE), Concurrent Enrollment, Work-Based Learning experiences, and 5th and 6th-year programs. Students from across the district will share their experiences about how these programs are helping them prepare for future success.
Thursday, October 23
6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
DCSD Legacy Campus, Lone Tree
The event will open at 6:30 p.m., but attendees are welcome to arrive at any time to explore all that Postsecondary Readiness has to offer.
The 2025 Career Path EXPO is sponsored by DCSD’s District Accountability Committee (DAC) and the Foundation for Douglas County Schools. RSVP today!
SAVE THE DATE! Douglas County Pathways Information Night for Middle School Families
Decisions about high school coursework freshman year can have a significant impact on a student's pathway all four years of high school as well as potentially the years directly after high school.
Come join us for an informative and interactive evening looking at all the options currently available for high school students in Douglas County. Staff from Counseling, Gifted Education, Special Education, and Language and Cultural Engagement will be available to discuss how specific types of plans (IEP, ALP, MLP, 504) align with pathway options.
More information coming soon!
When: December 2, 2025 6:00-7:30 PM
Where: DCSD Legacy Campus
Who's Invited: Families of 6th-8th grade students - students are also welcome!
Podcast: Through the Spiral: Understanding Twice-Exceptionality with Dr. Karen Arnstein
In this episode of Exceptionally Speaking, Dr. Meryl talks with Dr. Karen Arnstein—educator, researcher, developmental theorist, and co-founder of Spiral We—about the future of gifted education, the role of the Javits Grant, and why innovative models are needed to truly support exceptional learners.
Dr. Arnstein, originator of the Spiral Model of Development, shares how this framework reframes growth by showing that setbacks are not failures but part of a natural spiral of learning. Together, we explore the challenges gifted and twice-exceptional students face, why teachers often lack training in gifted education, and how adaptive connection can transform classrooms. From federal funding struggles to practical tools like Spiral We’s upcoming educator app and community, this conversation shines a light on both the urgent need and the hopeful solutions that can make education more supportive for every learner.
Find the podcast HERE.
Avoiding Risk-Avoidant Behaviors
From With Understanding Comes Calm By Julie F. Skolnick M.A., J.D.
Gifted and Distractible people avoid risks for various reasons. Whether perfectionism, self-criticism, imposter syndrome, overthinking, or anxiety fuel this behavior, one thing is certain – avoidance diminishes a person’s quality of life. For some this idea seems paradoxical. Avoidance feels easier, more comfortable and requires less effort. But missed opportunities, stagnant growth, and unfulfilled passions all suck the lifeblood out of, well, life. Let’s flesh out why risk-avoidant behaviors occur in the first place and how to implement five mindset shifts to move from apprehension to activation.
Continue reading HERE.
Douglas County Gifted Education Advisory Council (DCGEAC)
The Douglas County Gifted Education Advisory Council (DCGEAC) is seeking members with a variety of backgrounds and expertise!
The mission of the DCGEAC is to gather, communicate, and disseminate information to stakeholders, as well as advocate, influence, support, and ensure accountability for quality programming for gifted learners in Douglas County School District.
This year, DCGEAC will continue to focus on elementary, middle, and high school gifted programming in alignment with both DCSD’s newly launched Strategic Plan and the Gifted Education Monitoring (GEM) collaboration with the Colorado Department of Education (CDE).
If you are a parent/guardian of a student identified for gifted services OR a high school student who has been identified as gifted, please consider joining us by completing the DCGEAC Self Nomination Form.
DCGEAC meets quarterly throughout the year. This year's in person meetings:
DCSD’s Legacy Campus
10035 S Peoria St
Parker, CO 80134
Room 241
Wed. October 29, 4:30 - 6:00pm
Wed. December 10, 4:30 - 6:00pm
Wed. February 25, 4:30 - 6:00pm
Wed. May 6, 4:30 - 6:00pm
We seek representation from elementary and secondary for every feeder and region of charter schools. We currently still have openings in the following areas:
Chaparral HS Feeder: elementary
Castle View HS Feeder: elementary
Douglas County HS Feeder: currently represented
Highlands Ranch HS Feeder: currently represented
Legend HS Feeder: elementary
Mountain Vista HS Feeder: Discovery
Ponderosa HS Feeder: currently represented
Rock Canyon HS Feeder: elementary
ThunderRidge HS Feeder: currently represented
Charter: Castle Rock
All meetings are open to the public. See this flier for more information. Please send us an email at gifted.education@dcsdk12.org if you have any questions.
Legislation: From our state organization Colorado Association for Gifted and Talented
Urge Congress to Restore Javits Program Funding
We need your voice now more than ever!
Funding for the Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Student Education Program — a lifeline for research, innovation, and equity in gifted education — has not been reinstated in the FY26 federal budget proposal. The Javits Gifted and Talented Student Education Program is the only federal funding program specifically focused on supporting gifted and talented learners. Losing this important funding would be a significant step backward for the field of gifted and talented education.
Colorado Gifted Education Family Page
The Colorado Department of Education has created a new page specifically for families. It contains information about all things gifted in Colorado. Find this resource HERE.
PSAT/NMSQT Learn how to make the results work for you!
The DCSD PSAT/NMSQT Test Day was October 8, 2025
Open to some 10th and all 11th graders in DCSD, the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) is more than good practice for the SAT.
The assessment is your first step in:
entering the National Merit® Scholarship Program
connecting with colleges and scholarships
See the following resources for more information and check in with your Gifted Ed Facilitator and counselor for more information:
Guiá para padres sobre el PSAT/NMSQT
The Cooke College Scholarship is now open and available on Common App.
The Cooke College Scholarship Program is an undergraduate scholarship program available to high-achieving high school seniors with financial need who seek to attend and graduate from the nation's top four-year colleges and universities. The scholarship is now open to high school seniors who are eligible.
More Information and Apply HERE