• SY24 Elementary Gifted Programs

• SY 24 Gifted Evaluation Process - Fall 2023

• LCPS Gifted Education Website

• LCPS Gifted Education Brochure

The Loudoun County SEARCH program, offered to K-3 grade students, focuses on thinking skills and is designed to foster a classroom environment that encourages students to develop an excitement for learning and discovery. SEARCH teachers work within the classroom to stimulate curiosity, practice problem solving strategies, incorporate cooperative learning activities, provide opportunities for students to use higher level thinking skills, and to identify students with exceptional ability. During the lessons the primary classroom teacher makes observations to gain insight into the students’ various skills, strengths, and learning styles. Both teachers work cooperatively to recognize and develop the potential for excellence in each student. The SEARCH teacher is available to assist in the development of lesson plans and activities that promote higher level thinking, model or provide tips for differentiating instruction. The Loudoun County SEARCH lessons are organized under the learning keys listed below and are aligned with the Virginia Standards of Learning.  These lessons fulfill the goals of the LCPS Gifted Education Department which are:

1.To become divergent creative thinkers who recognize problems and solve them.

2.To construct personal meaning and understanding of others and of the world around them.

3.To develop the capacity for self assessment (ownership of the learning).

Main Topics (the Thinking Keys):

• Connecting

• Reasoning

• Creating

• Perceiving

• Evaluating

What is EDGE? 

(Empowering Diversity in Gifted Education)

The EDGE program is designed to nurture and challenge students with advanced academic potential from groups historically underrepresented in LCPS advanced academic and gifted programs. The program provides additional academic challenges for students designed to develop students' individual potential. Classroom teachers and gifted resource teachers work together to nurture academic potential in young learners and prepare them for more challenging and rigorous academic pathways.

Click here for the EDGE program flyer

Click here for the EDGE program flyer (Spanish)

What is DCI?

The LCPS Gifted Education Department has added a new level of gifted services for 4th grade students this year. It is called Differentiated Classroom Instruction or DCI. Students who demonstrated exceptional performance in one domain, language arts or mathematics, during the gifted evaluation process were found in need of DCI in their area of strength. Some students may have been identified for DCI mathematics and DCI language arts.

The gifted resource teacher in your child’s school will consult with your child’s classroom teacher to provide extension or enrichment options to differentiate instruction for your child in their area of strength. These activities are designed to provide additional opportunities for rigor and deeper learning in language arts and/or mathematics.

DCI is an elementary gifted program option that will extend to 5th grade next year.

Fusion is our school-based gifted program for 4th and 5th grade students.  It was established to provide gifted services for students at their home schools. A gifted resource teacher collaborates with classroom teachers to challenge gifted learners in their regular classrooms by enriching and extending the general curriculum and by integrating lessons specifically developed for gifted learners.  In addition to classroom support, gifted learners are pulled throughout the week to collaborate with other gifted learners on a variety of challenging, leadership-based projects.