PACE Program

Plano’s Academic and Creative Education (PACE) is for the academically gifted student.  Identification is conducted not to label students, but to determine which students require program alterations because of their unique educational needs.  Implementation varies by grade level, with a talent pool in kindergarten and first grades and a pullout program in grades 2-5.  Students in grades 2-3 receive 120 minutes weekly of specialized instruction with an increase to 180 minutes in grades 4-5.  The referral process may be initiated by teachers, parents, or students.  Testing occurs twice yearly in grades 2-5 for possible placement and once in the late spring for first grade.

The PACE curriculum focuses on the areas of creative thinking (fluency, flexibility, originality, elaboration), critical thinking (logical thinking, problem solving, analysis, synthesis, evaluation), research, and communication (oral and written).  These skills are taught through a variety of units in each grade level.