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Gifted Resources

For you convenience, all of the information on this website is available in a downloadable PDF format.

Gifted Resources for JMMS Families (PDF)

  • Testing Students for Gifted Services
    • If you believe that your childʼs needs are not being met in the General Education classroom, contact their teacher or the JMMS Special Education Head Teacher at (505) 897-0101 ex. 40812 to begin the referral process.
    • Gifted Areas of Need:
      • Specific Aptitude or Achievement
      • General Intellectual Ability
      • Creative or Divergent Thinking
      • Problem Solving or Critical Thinking
      • Artistic Ability
      • Leadership Ability
    • If you are interested in having your child tested for gifted services, there are testing windows in the Fall and Spring.

Albuquerque Public Schools Gifted Education Referral Guide for Parent/Guardian 

Lines of Communication

Gifted-Lines of Communication -2025

Lines of Communication

  • Teacher
    • Start with your Child's teacher. They will know the specifics on IEP goals, assessments, programs, progress, etc. If your child is struggling, they need to know. 
  • Principal or Head Teacher
    • If your child's teachers is unable to answer your questions or has not been responsive, contact the Head Special Education Teacher or Principal
  • Exceptional Student District Support
    • Contact if you are unable to resolve the issue with school staff or if you need District support. Click on your child's school for ESDS contact information. ESDS should contact you within 48 hours
  • Zone Associate Superintendent
    • Contact your Zone Associate Superintendent if you feel there is an issue at school that needs their attention
  • If you have not heard from your ESDS or you are not sure who to contact, reach out to specialeddept@aps.edu

Continuum of Services
Gifted Education is a service, not a setting
Continuum Service Description
Regular education with weekly Monitoring from a special education gifted provider Special ED teacher checking on the student in a general ED classroom for a minimum of 15 minutes a week.
Regular education with daily consultation from a special education gifted provider Special Education teacher is consulting with the general ED teacher and not providing direct service to the student.
Regular education with gifted services and support including in that setting, which is aligned with the general curriculum. utilizing such strategies as flexible groupings, universal design curriculum, overlapping curriculum, cooperative learning, peer tutoring, parallel or alternative instruction, team teaching.
Gifted Services provided for part of the day in a resources room or a special education classroom Gifted Services provided in separate gifted education classroom.

 

Selected Gifted Education Services Model (NMTAM)
"Each district is different and service models should be determined based
on the needs of the student, availability of resources, and Funding"

 

Program Model Description
Cluster Grouping Instead of separating identified gifted students among classes, a cluster of 5-10 students is placed in one classroom with a regular education teacher who has training in how to teach gifted students.
General Classroom Enrichment An area of the classroom is set aside for independent study and individualization in the content areas with students who are gifted. The focus is on the process rather than on content
Advanced Classes within and across Grade Levels Advanced classes are designed for students who have already mastered the basic core of subject matter. Such courses offer consistent study in more depth and breadth to a curricular area with less redundancy from class to class or level to level.

Excerpted from New Mexico Gifted Technical Assistance Manual pp. 20-22

 

Program Model Description
Acceleration Studying the regular curriculum earlier or at a faster pace than a typical student
Curriculum Compacting This procedure is used for streamlining the general education curriculum for students who are capable of mastering it at a faster pace (Reis, Burns, Renzulli, 1992) Individuals or groups of students are assessed to determine their level of proficiency in general education course outcomes, units, or courses. A determination is made of content or skill not yet mastered, and a plan is made to complete the remaining materials and to progress to more appropriate and challenging instruction and materials. 

 

General Flowchart of Annual IEP

Gifted-General Flow chart of Annual IEP -2025

This image is a flowchart outlining the process for scheduling and conducting an Individualized Education Program (IEP) meeting for a gifted student. 

  1. Starting Point
    • "Within 365 days of the last IEP, the Special Education Head Teacher will contact you to schedule an IEP for the current school year."
  2. Scheduling the IEP 
    • "Once a date and time is agreed upon, the Head Teacher will invite your child’s IEP team."
  3. Confirmation & Invitation
    • "You will be sent a Google calendar invitation that includes the date, time, participant names, and Google Meet link."
  4. Preparation 
    • "Your child’s Gifted caseworker will then gather relevant data and classroom feedback to prepare for the IEP."
  5. Gathering Input 
    • "You may be contacted by the Gifted caseworker prior to the meeting to gather your input."
  6. Meeting Reminder
    • "Within 48 hours of the meeting, you will receive a confirmation reminder via email or phone from your child’s Gifted caseworker."
  7. Rescheduling 
    • "If you need to reschedule, please contact the Special Education Head Teacher who originally scheduled the IEP with you."
  8. Attending the Meeting 
    • "On the day of the IEP, you can opt to attend in person (in the Counseling Office) or online (via the Google Meet link emailed to you through the calendar invite)."
  9. Post-Meeting Documentation 
    • "When the IEP meeting concludes, you will be sent 3 documents:
      • A copy of the IEP
      • The PWN (Prior Written Notice)
      • Your annual Parent Rights in Special Education"
  10. Progress Reports 
    • "For the next calendar year, at the end of each grading quarter, your child’s Gifted caseworker will send home 'Progress Towards Goals' statements. These reports state the progress your child has made toward the goal(s) in their IEP."
  11. Ongoing Support 
    • "If at any time you have questions about your child’s gifted services, you may reach out to their Gifted caseworker or the Special Education Head Teacher. If necessary, a meeting can be scheduled."

  • How to Prepare for the Annual Gifted IEP

    • Family and student input is necessary during the IEP regarding academic and extracurricular goals. Here are some topics for parents to consider and discuss with the student prior to the meeting: 
      • What are your short term and long term goals for your child? 
      • What would you like teachers to be aware of to best meet your child’s needs? 
      • What are your child’s strengths? 
      • What are your child’s weaknesses? 

  • Gifted Offerings at JMMS and Cibola HS

    • In middle school, Gifted services are provided through core content classes: 
      • 6th grade: Gifted ELA, Gifted Math, Gifted Seminar
      • 7th grade: Gifted ELA, Gifted Math, Gifted Seminar II
      • 8th grade: Gifted ELA, Gifted Seminar III
    • In high school, students receive gifted services through their Gifted electives:
      • 9th grade Gifted options in the past have included: 
        • P.O.W.E.R. Health
        • Contemporary Studies I
  • Advanced Placement (AP) or Honors classes are separate from the Gifted Program and do not require IEP documentation.
  • If a student chooses not to take any Gifted electives one year, they may always be readmitted to the Gifted Program the next year. No additional testing is required.
  •  See Cibola’s Registration page for more information. 

More Gifted Resources for Families

Local: 

State: 

  • NMPED Gifted Education Information– The New Mexico Public Education Department’s official page on gifted education policies and programs.
  • NMPED Gifted Technical Assistance Manual – A guide outlining regulations, best practices, and resources for gifted education in New Mexico.
  • New Mexico Association for the Gifted  – A state-level organization offering advocacy, professional development, and resources for gifted education.
  • NMAC Gifted Children 6.31.3 – The official New Mexico Administrative Code section defining gifted education regulations in the state.
  • New Mexico Gifted Education Resources  – This Canvas Course serves as a resource page for Gifted Education in the state of New Mexico. It hosts discussions, all training recordings, all training slide decks, as well as any other documents, links, or studies that help provide equitable gifted identification and services to students.

National: