Gifted Education Program
We help gifted students reach their full potential.
At American Leadership Academy (ALA), we want to help each and every student reach his or her full potential. Our Gifted and Talented Education Program allows students with gifted or accelerated capacities to thrive in an environment that is both challenging and appropriate for their unique needs and learning styles. This furthers our mission to provide the best educational experience to as many students as possible in a moral and wholesome environment.
Schedule a campus tour and learn more about what makes American Leadership Academy the best choice for your gifted child.
Gifted Education Teaching Strategies
American Leadership Academy ensures that students with high abilities are appopriately challenged and can continue making academic progress. ALA uses two types of teaching strategies to meet the success of these students.
Pull-Out Program
The Pull-Out Program is a well established learning model that allows students to be removed from their regular classrooms for a period of their day to recieve specialized instruction. By working in smaller groups, gifted students can explore topics in greater depth and challenge themselves without the constraints of a typical classroom setting.
Gifted Clustering Model
In this approach, gifted students are grouped together in regular classrooms, but with their academic needs specifically addressed. Gifted clustering allows teachers to provide differentiated instruction tailored to the strengths and needs of the gifted learners within the group.
These models have demonstrated academic success, promoting accelerated learning and advanced skill development in students. Check your school's gifted page to see what learning model they use.
What are the characteristics of a gifted student?
We see our gifted students as talented individuals with exceptional abilities.
Although “gifted” can manifest itself differently in different students, there are some characteristics that are generally accepted to be shared by many gifted students. Our teachers and staff at American Leadership Academy are aware of these characteristics and utilize these skills in our gifted learning program.
| Able to learn quickly They may pick up on new concepts and material more quickly than their peers. |
Curious They have an intense “need to know.” They show interest in the way things work. |
Abstract thinkers They are able to draw connections easily. They may have a talent for debate. |
| Strong communicators They often have a large vocabulary and are able to express themselves well. |
Independent They may challenge authority or the status quo. They may work well alone. |
Inquisitive They ask questions and search for answers. |
| Tuned in to their surroundings They have a strong sense of right, wrong, and fairness. They may show interest in current events. |
Intense They may be opinionated or strong-willed. Their personalities seem magnified. |
Talented Often have a wide variety of interests and abilities, inside and outside the classroom. |
While these characteristics are common among gifted students, it’s important to remember that no two gifted students are the same. They have different strengths, different interests, and different learning styles. Gifted students can be:
- Introverted or extroverted
- Highly focused students or daydreamers
- Outspoken or quiet
- Rule-followers or rule-challengers
- Socially confident or socially insecure
For this reason, we rely on the CogAT assessment, along with teacher recommendation, when it comes to identifying and placing gifted students.
Our gifted programs are designed to ensure that each student is stimulated and empowered according to his or her own needs.
Testing for Gifted Program at ALA
American Leadership Academy uses the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT), a widely-used, state-approved assessment to assess specific reasoning skills in areas that strongly correlate to academic success. The CogAT consists of three areas:
Verbal - used to assess a student's vocabulary, efficiency and verbal memory, ability to determine word relationships, and the ability to comprehend ideas.
Quantitative - used to assess a student's quantitative reasoning, problem solving abilities, and abstract reasoning.
Non-Verbal - used to assess a student's reasoning abilities through the use of spatial and figural content.
This test may be taken by any student who is referred by parents, teachers, or qualified ALA staff members. Qualification for gifted services is based on performance on this assessment. Check your schools gifted page to see eligibility requirements. Placement testing for the gifted program occurs in the Fall and placement status is reviewed each Spring.
Webb's Depth of Knowledge
In this program, gifted students are able to work among their peers on cross-curricular units that extend beyond the general lessons. Gifted teachers utilize Webb's "Depth of Knowledge" scale to encourage students to reach their full potential.
| DOK-1 | DOK-2 | DOK-3 | DOK-4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| RECALL & REPRODUCE | APPLY KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS/ BASIC REASONING | STRATEGIC THINKING | EXTENSIVE THINKING |
| Who? | How did it take place? | How can I make use of it to solve a problem? | What do you think, feel, or believe? |
| What? | Why did it take place? | Why does it solve the problem? | What will or could happen? |
| Where? | How does it operate? | What is the cause, effect, or reason? | What is the relationship? |
| When? | Why does it operate? | What are the intended and unexpected outcomes? | How did it influence? What if? |
Gifted students have unique strengths and exceptional opportunities.
American Leadership Academy believes in providing the best possible education for each and every one of our students. For gifted students, that means tuning in to their learning styles, recognizing and encouraging their interests, and moving at their speed to create an environment that matches and challenges their abilities.
Supporting gifted students from K-12th grade
Why gifted education?
Nationally, gifted students are identified as those who exhibit exceptional abilities or potential significantly above their peers, requiring differentiated instruction and advanced learning environments beyond standard classroom offerings. Without appropriate challenges, these students often cannot reach their full potential, emphasizing the importance of tailored educational programs.
At American Leadership Academy, we recognize this need and deliver specialized curriculum and instruction designed to challenge gifted learners, stimulate their intellectual curiosity, and foster continuous academic growth.
Gifted Education Nationwide
Across the United States, approximately 6% of public school students are identified as gifted. However, gifted education policies and programs vary significantly from state to state, resulting in inconsistent identification practices and services provided.
At American Leadership Academy, we offer a structured, consistent approach aligned with national best practices. Our gifted education program includes differentiated instruction, enrichment activities, acceleration opportunities, and support for the social-emotional development of gifted students. This comprehensive approach ensures that our students consistently receive the appropriate level of challenge and support, enabling them to reach their highest potential academically, socially, and emotionally.
Find Your School's Gifted Program
Parent involvement with American Leadership Academy
“At the end of the day, the most overwhelming key to a child’s success is the positive involvement of parents.”
- Jane D. Hull, former Governor of Arizona
Research has shown that parental involvement in education has a positive impact on:
- Grades
- Test scores
- School attendance
- Social skills
- Classroom behavior2
Supported by this research and by our own experience, American Leadership Academy strongly encourages parents and guardians of our students to participate at the individual, classroom, and school-wide level.
- We know that, as a parent or guardian, your child’s education is very important to you. You can play an active role in your gifted child’s education by:
- Communicating with your child’s teacher(s) regularly
- Scheduling meetings as needed to discuss your child’s progress
- Reviewing lessons with your child at home
- Modeling a love of continued learning
- Praising your child’s effort and growth
In our gifted program, we want to work with parents to make sure their child’s needs are being met and that they’re receiving the attention they deserve.
Contact Us
Please contact your school's Gifted Teacher for any additional questions you have about gifted program testing, teachers, methods, or curriculums.
Schedule a campus tour and learn more about what makes American Leadership Academy the best choice for your gifted child.
- National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) Knowledge Center
- NAGC Pre-K–Grade 12 Gifted Programming Standards
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)