- J.O. Combs Unified School District
- Instruction
Curriculum, Assessment & Instruction
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Instruction
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District Instructional Resources
- Thinking Maps
- Write from the Beginning - Builds on the power of Thinking Maps to establish a focus on effective writing across all grade levels and content areas. Its approach helps students internalize the skills and strategies used by effective writers, so they can apply them in academic discourse wherever their paths take them.
- Units of study are organized around the principles of Understanding by Design. For more information, please see ASCD's UbD Framework.
- We employ the ICLE Rigor and Relevance model to instruction. For more information please see ICLE's Rigor and Relevance Framework Page.
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Gifted Program
Gifted Program Description
The J.O. Combs Unified School District is dedicated to identifying and delivering specialized instruction for students eligible for the gifted program. To meet these needs, two distinct models are employed:
Gifted Cluster Model (Elementary): In this method, students who have been identified as gifted are grouped into classrooms led by teachers selected by their school principals, all of whom have undergone specialized training. These designated Gifted Cluster teachers possess the skills to customize their teaching to cater to the distinctive requirements of gifted learners. Within this framework, gifted students receive tailored curriculum and daily instruction across all subject areas.
Schoolwide Cluster Grouping Model (Secondary): Under this model, gifted students are intentionally grouped within mixed-ability classrooms at every grade level. Teachers leading these classrooms have undergone training to effectively understand, plan for, and instruct gifted students. Multiple clusters may be established if there are more than eight gifted students at a particular grade level. Meanwhile, high-average students are placed in classrooms without gifted clusters to create a balanced mix of abilities and achievement levels across the grade level. Importantly, this approach does not function as a tracking system, as all classrooms maintain a slightly narrowed range of performance and abilities. The formation of classroom compositions serves two primary objectives: achieving balance throughout the grade level and reducing the learning range within any given classroom. This system empowers teachers to better address the diverse needs of all their students.Gifted cluster teachers plan appropriately challenging instruction for their gifted students. This may involve acceleration, enrichment, and various extended learning opportunities targeted to develop the following skills through learning in the content areas:
- Logical thinking
- Reasoning skills
- Critical and creative thinking
- Problem-solving
Gifted students receive instruction that is differentiated in content, process, product, learning environment and assessment:
- Content — Complex, abstract ideas presented in a variety of disciplines, including interdisciplinary curriculum.
- Process — Higher-level thinking through Bloom’s Taxonomy and the Multiple Intelligences.
- Products — Alternative methods of demonstrating mastery with a range of complexity.
- Learning environment — Student-centered, flexible grouping based on readiness, interests, and abilities.
- Assessments — Pre-assessment and testing out-of-grade level curriculum.
Identification of Gifted Students
The J.O. Combs Unified School District uses the Cognitive Abilities Test, which is approved by the Arizona Department of Education, for identification of gifted students. It is an abilities test measuring a child’s ability to reason in three different areas. Reasoning abilities have substantial correlations with learning and problem solving, both in and out of school. Each level of CogAT offers three test batteries: Verbal (reading), Quantitative (math), and Nonverbal (spatial). Having multiple measures in each domain greatly increases the dependability of the score profile that is reported for each student. To qualify as gifted, a student must score at the 95th percentile or above on at least one of these test batteries. Students currently enrolled in grades K-6th can be tested at their school site by parent request.Testing Dates
September 9th-20th 2024 All Grades
January 21-31st 2025 2nd Grade Only
February 18th-28th All Grades
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English Learner Program
The J.O. Combs English Learner Program works with students identified as English Learners to address English proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Students are initially identified based on the AZELLA Placement test, which is administered within 30 calendar days of the start of school or within 10 school days after the student enrolls. Identified students will be placed in a one hour Targeted Structured English Immersion block with a qualified SEI Teacher and receive an additional hour of Integrated Structured English Immersion in their ELA block. All students that qualify to receive English Learner services will be reassessed for English proficiency each spring on the AZELLA Reassessment.Additional Resources for the Sole and Exclusive Use of EL Students: -
PLC Data Teams
We believe that if we have schools that focus on learning, collaborative cultures, and are results oriented, then we will have students that have the critical skills, knowledge, and understanding that will allow them to successfully participate in a changing global world. We believe that the tool that best allows us to do this is through the PLC Data Teams process. This process consists of five steps - Collecting and charting student data; Analyzing and prioritizing needs; Setting SMART Goals; Selecting Instructional Strategies; and Determining results indicators. This allows us to most effectively address what we expect students to learn, how will we know they are learning it, how we will respond when students experience difficulty in learning, and how will we respond when students do learn. For more information on PLC Data Teams:
