Gifted students often spend the majority of their school day in regular education classrooms with teachers who have little training in gifted education. The teacher of a gifted student is the MOST important factor in whether a gifted student engages in learning, accepts challenge with a growth mindset, and realizes their potential.
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Interested in a Gifted Endorsement?
Link to Arizona Department of Education Gifted Endorsement
Provisional Endorsement: Six semester hours of course work or 90 hours of in-service training.
Full Gifted Endorsement: Twelve semester hours of course work or 180 hours of in-service training.
Gifted Professional Development Opportunities
Gifted Endorsement Courses
At No Cost to Educators
These professional learning courses are offered at no cost and are designed to help educators earn a provisional or full gifted endorsement through in-service hours at a manageable pace during the school year.
Flexible Enrollment:
Educators may register for individual courses as needed to fulfill gifted endorsement requirements—there is no obligation to complete the full sequence.
Important Reminders:
Participants will receive a Professional Development Certificate upon successful completion of each course. It is the participant’s responsibility to:
• Submit course certificates for clock hour credit according to their district’s procedures
• Complete the required paperwork to apply for endorsement through the Arizona Department of Education
Gifted Endorsement Courses
At a Cost or Free
Arizona Department of Education - Cultivating Genius - Introduction to Gifted Education (Free)
Arizona Association for Gifted and Talented (AAGT) - They offer conferences and workshops throughout the year. Become a member and you can receive PD clock hours by participating in previously recorded webinars.
Stay connected - Gifted PD Information Mailing List:
Join our mailing list to stay informed! As new professional development opportunities become available, we’ll be sure to share them with you. Click HERE to complete the form.
Wonderfully Wired GT – Professional Development for Gifted Educators
Looking for flexible, high-quality professional development in gifted education? Wonderfully Wired GT offers online courses designed by educators, for educators. Whether you’re pursuing your gifted endorsement or simply want to strengthen your skills in supporting advanced learners, this platform provides engaging, research-based learning experiences you can complete at your own pace. Explore practical strategies, deepen your understanding, and connect with a community that shares your passion for gifted education.
Asynchronous Gifted Instruction & Methodologies Course Series
Asynchronous Gifted Instruction & Methodologies Course Series
This professional learning series is aligned to the NAGC/CEC Teacher Preparation Standards, specifically addressing Standard 3: Demonstrating Subject Matter Content and Specialized Curricular Knowledge. The strategies and methodologies selected provide high-quality curricular experiences that promote growth aligned to the strengths and needs of gifted learners.
During the 2025–2026 school year, educators will explore seven strategies and methodologies from ADE's Gifted Curriculum & Instructional Methodology Cards, including Interactive Simulations, Interdisciplinary Studies, Project-Based Learning, Problem-Based Learning, Active Questioning, Choice Boards, and Depth & Complexity.
Each course offers hands-on application and reflection aligned to instructional planning and implementation with gifted learners. Teachers will:
• Design and deliver a standards-aligned lesson using the featured strategy
• Reflect on student learning outcomes and submit evidence of gifted student engagement
• Optionally extend their learning by sharing the strategy with colleagues
Participants will earn 5 hours of PD credit for completing Parts 1–3 and may earn an additional 1.5 hours for facilitating peer learning (Part 4). Materials required are minimal and include the methodology card, lesson template, and access to at least 3 identified gifted (or high potential) students.
Please note: Your school district must approve these courses for them to count toward professional development credit or gifted endorsement. If you work in Alhambra, Avondale, or Washington Elementary School Districts, these courses have already been approved by HR for PD use.
For alignment to standards and course planning, view the NAGC Standards Overview and your district’s gifted endorsement guidelines.
Course 1 - Designing Depth: Using Interactive Simulations
to Challenge Gifted Learners (5-6.5 hours)
Step into the world of high-impact learning! This course explores how interactive simulations can spark curiosity, deepen conceptual understanding, and stretch the thinking of gifted learners. Learn how to design immersive, real-world scenarios that promote creativity, critical decision-making, and interdisciplinary connections—all while giving students voice and choice in their learning. Walk away with a ready-to-implement lesson and the tools to turn your classroom into a hub of dynamic, gifted engagement.
Date: Monday, August 11, 2025 - Friday, August 29, 2025
Certificates of completion will be emailed no later than Friday, 9/12/25.
Course 2 - Connected Content, Complex Thinking:
Interdisciplinary Planning for Gifted Instruction (5-6.5 hours)
Gifted learners thrive on challenge, creativity, and complexity—and interdisciplinary learning delivers all three. In this course, you’ll learn how to design instruction that bridges content areas, deepens conceptual understanding, and inspires critical thinking across disciplines. Whether you’re combining science with art or literature with history, you’ll walk away with practical tools to create meaningful, integrated learning experiences that keep gifted students fully engaged.
Date: Monday, September 15, 2025 - Friday, October 3, 2025
Certificates of completion will be emailed no later than Friday, 10/17/25.
Course 3 - The Power of Inquiry: Using Questioning to
Deepen Gifted Learning (5-6.5 hours)
Ready to shift from giving answers to inspiring questions? This course helps educators harness the power of active questioning to ignite curiosity, deepen thinking, and stretch gifted learners. Explore six powerful question types that fuel creativity, promote engagement, and support rigorous classroom conversations. You’ll leave with strategies to embed questioning into daily instruction—and transform your classroom into a space where inquiry drives learning.
Date: Monday, October 20, 2025 - Friday, November 7, 2025
Certificates of completion will be emailed no later than Friday, 11/21/25.
Course 4 - Choice with Challenge: Using Menus to Extend Gifted Thinking (5-6.5 hours)
Choice is powerful—but only when it’s paired with rigor. In this course, you’ll learn how to design purposeful, high-level choice boards that go beyond busywork and spark deep thinking in gifted learners. Discover how to balance flexibility with cognitive demand, avoid common design pitfalls, and create learning menus that engage students in meaningful, standards-based exploration. Walk away with tools to turn student choice into a pathway for advanced learning.
Date: Monday, December 1, 2025 - Friday, December 19, 2025
Certificates of completion will be emailed no later than Friday, 12/26/25.
Course 5 - Layered Learning: Integrating the Depth and Complexity Framework into Everyday Instruction (5-6.5 hours)
Transform your teaching with the Depth and Complexity framework—a powerful tool to help gifted learners think like experts. This course will show you how to embed the iconic prompts into your lessons to elevate rigor, deepen analysis, and foster multiple perspectives. Whether you’re new to the icons or looking to refine your practice, you’ll leave with strategies to challenge all students—every day, in any content area.
Date: Monday, January 5, 2026 - Friday, January 23, 2026
Certificates of completion will be emailed no later than Friday, 2/6/26.
Course 6 - What If? Why Not? — The Power of Possibility Thinking
for Gifted Students (5-6.5 hours)
Unlock the creative potential of your gifted learners with the power of divergent thinking. This course introduces the FFOE framework—Fluency, Flexibility, Originality, and Elaboration—to help students brainstorm boldly, think beyond the expected, and generate innovative solutions. Learn how to craft open-ended prompts that stretch imagination, encourage risk-taking, and support students in exploring the “what ifs” and “why nots” that lead to authentic, original learning.
Date: Monday, February 9, 2026 - Friday, February 27, 2026
Certificates of completion will be emailed no later than Friday, 3/13/26.
Course 7 - Think. Weigh. Decide. – Empowering Gifted Learners
Through Evaluative Thinking (5-6.5 hours)
Help your gifted students go beyond quick opinions and develop the reasoning skills that lead to thoughtful, evidence-based decisions. This course equips educators to teach evaluative thinking through real-world problem solving, structured criteria, and multi-perspective analysis. Learn how to guide students in sorting ideas, weighing evidence, and justifying their conclusions—all essential tools for developing independent thinkers and future-ready learners.
Date: Monday, March 16, 2026 - Friday, April 3, 2026
Certificates of completion will be emailed no later than Friday, 4/17/26.
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