Gifted & Enrichment
Gifted & Enrichment
Cary District 26 offers a continuum of services at every school to support high-achieving and profoundly gifted learners. Our mission is to ensure these students remain challenged and engaged through specialized instruction that matches their unique potential.
What We Provide:
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Enriched Curriculum: Deep-dive tasks and creative problem-solving.
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Accelerated Learning: Advanced content and academic pacing.
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Differentiated Support: Tailored small-group instruction focused on critical thinking.
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Kindergarten–2nd Grade: Students in K–2 receive enrichment and differentiation within the classroom, supported by the school’s gifted and enrichment teacher. High-achieving students may also participate in additional small-group opportunities during Tier II WIN (What I Need) time focused on literacy and/or math, based on classroom performance and iReady benchmark assessment scores.
Every 2nd grade student is administered a cognitive abilities assessment in February to help determine eligibility for elementary gifted services. Parents are notified of their child’s results by the end of the school year. Students who are formally identified as gifted based on the cognitive abilities assessment and other data points will receive gifted services beginning 3rd grade.
- Identified Gifted Students (Grades 3–5): Students formally identified as gifted receive targeted enrichment in English Language Arts and/or Math during Tier II WIN (What I Need) time. Gifted and enrichment teachers meet with these students weekly in small groups to provide deeper, more complex learning experiences.
- High-Achieving Students (Grades 3–5): Students who demonstrate high academic performance, but are not formally identified as gifted, may be invited to participate in enrichment or accelerated instruction throughout the year. These flexible opportunities may happen during Tier II WIN (What I Need) time, or classroom push-in, depending on student needs and scheduling.
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Identified Gifted Students: Students formally identified as gifted are automatically placed into advanced courses for English Language Arts and/or Math to ensure they receive appropriately challenging instruction.
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High-Achieving Students: Students who consistently perform at high levels in ELA or Math will be considered for advanced course placement based on multiple data points, including i-Ready benchmark assessment results and classroom performance.
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The parent of a child who did not meet the qualification criteria for the District 26 Gifted & Enrichment Program may file a written appeal. All appeals should be sent to the Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning.
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New Students:
Students new to Cary School District 26 who received gifted services from their previous school district will be considered for gifted enrichment upon registration. New students must meet Cary 26’s gifted and enrichment eligibility requirements to obtain services. New families should register their students at their base school and submit any gifted records from the previous school district. The Department of Teaching and Learning will determine gifted enrichment eligibility or needs for further assessment.
Early Entrance:
Cary 26 follows the Illinois School Code, which states that to enter kindergarten, children must be 5 years old by September 1 of their kindergarten year and 6 years old by September 1 of their first-grade year. The Cary 26 School Board permits early entrance into kindergarten or first grade for students younger than the entrance age requirements only for students who demonstrate high ability pursuant to the Board’s Accelerated Placement Policy.