Children can be classified as "Gifted and Talented" if they are between the ages of 4-21 and possess exceptional abilities, talents, and potential for accomplishment, or are developmentally-advanced in a way that they require special provisions to meet their educational programming needs. Children under 5 years old who are gifted may also be provided with early childhood special educational services.

Students with disabilities can also be classified as gifted (i.e. "twice exceptional), as can students with exceptional abilities or potential from all socio-economic and ethnic/cultural populations.  Gifted students are capable of high performance, exceptional production, or exceptional learning behavior by virtue of any or a combination of these areas of giftedness:

• General intellectual ability
• Specific academic aptitude (includes reading, writing, math, social studies, science, and world language)
• Drama/Theatre Arts
• Music
• Visual Art
• Dance
• Psychomotor
• Creative and Productive Thinking
• Leadership

A three step process is used to identify Gifted and Talented students in Pueblo School District 60. A student may be referred for consideration by a parent, educator, peer, community member, or self. A body of evidence is collected and an educational team has 30 school days to make a determination of next steps to include formal identification, continuing to collect assessment data, or move to talent pool.

If a parent, student, or teacher does not agree with the identification decision, he/she has the right to appeal.

• The Gifted & Talented Identification Process explained

Pueblo School District 60 schools are committed to identifying those students that meet the district and state criteria of gifted. Students, parents, teachers, and staff work together to develop Advanced Learning Plans (ALP) for all of our students identified as gifted in order to ensure they are challenged and experience academic and social/emotional growth throughout the year.

• Learn more about Advanced Learning Plans

The Comprehensive Program Plan (CPP) is a concisely-written description of the policies and procedures by which Pueblo School District 60 identifies and programs for gifted student education.

The development of a school district's Comprehensive Program Plan (CPP) demonstrates commitment to identify and serve gifted students and their families in ways that fit with local district resources, data analysis and priorities.

The program plan shall be implemented by all school districts and administrative units in Colorado. Plans may be updated and revised at any time. 

CPP Resource:

Comprehensive Program Plan

Early Access Addendum

(date updated: October, 2020)