Who and which grades
Published coverageK-12: daily K-5 differentiation and possible clusters, advanced Grades 6-8 courses, and honors, AP, concurrent-enrollment, and advanced high-school options
Apache Junction Unified School District parent navigator Official local sources · reviewed 2026-09-08
AJUSD Gifted Program,
made navigable.
Apache Junction publishes a governing-board-approved 2026 gifted plan with K-12 referral, testing, eligibility, placement, and service details. Second graders are screened, other students can be referred, and a local Talent Pool can extend access below the state threshold when space permits.
Independent from Apache Junction Unified School District. Official district instructions always control.
What the official record confirms
Know the program.
Know the route.
Applicable school year: 2026-27. Bloomfield separates official requirements from our preparation guidance.
How students are considered
Published processAll second graders take CogAT annually. Enrolled K-12 students may also be referred by a parent, teacher, administrator, or themselves and tested in one of three district periods. A 97th-percentile score in verbal, quantitative, or nonverbal reasoning qualifies; students at the 94th-96th percentile may enter the local Talent Pool using achievement and teacher evidence when space is available.
What service can look like
Published modelK-5 students receive differentiated instruction throughout the day, with enrichment, extensions, independent research, curriculum compacting, and possible cluster grouping. Grades 6-8 use advanced core classes and an accelerated math path. High-school students may self-select eligible honors, AP, concurrent-enrollment, and other advanced courses, subject to prerequisites and availability.
Your starting checklist
Turn the published process into clear next steps.
Confirm current instructions with the district before submitting. Bloomfield does not predict placement or reproduce protected assessments.
01Open the district Gifted page, download the referral form, and ask the Gifted Coordinator which of the three testing periods is still open.
02Submit parent permission and identify whether CogAT or a language-reduced alternative assessment is appropriate for the child.
03Request verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal percentiles and ask whether the student meets the 97th-percentile rule or the 94th-96th Talent Pool range.
04After identification, request the actual grade-band plan: daily K-5 differentiation, the Grades 6-8 advanced-course sequence, or high-school advanced options.
05For a transfer student, send prior test records to the gifted office and ask for prompt verification and placement under the district's transfer procedure.
Primary sources
Read the published language yourself.
Last reviewed 2026-09-08. Program rules can change; verify the current school year with Apache Junction Unified School District before acting.