Parents and teachers urge Higley Unified board to keep THINK highly gifted program at Bridges Elementary

Several parents and teachers asked the Higley Unified School District Governing Board on Tuesday to preserve the THINK highly gifted program at Bridges Elementary, saying the program provides necessary academic challenge and social supports that are not available in general education classrooms.

Why it matters: Public commentators said ending the program could push families to enroll elsewhere, worsen the district’s declining enrollment and remove a specialized setting that helps twice-exceptional students thrive.

Parents and teachers described children who learned to read and perform advanced math years ahead of grade level, and said the small, cohort-based THINK classes let similarly gifted students progress together from kindergarten through third grade. “The THINK program has allowed Nixon to use his amazing brain for learning and growth in a positive environment led by teachers who understand his giftedness,” said Suzanne Stanley, a Higley High School teacher and parent, who described her son’s experience after he entered THINK in first grade. Stanley told the board her son, diagnosed with autism and hyperlexia, benefits from a setting that provides both intellectual challenge and social-emotional support.

Other parents gave similar accounts. Chase Stanley, the child’s father, said his son was “grandfathered” into the program but that future students will be harmed by a shutdown. He and other parents told the board they believe budget shortfalls after a failed bond vote are the likely reason THINK is being targeted for elimination. “Given this is the assumption, we're left wondering why THINK is not being prioritized over other programs,” Chase Stanley said.

A parent who reviewed district documents said the district’s budget includes roughly $850,000 for gifted education; he asked how those funds would continue to serve highly gifted students if the dedicated THINK cohort is dissolved.

Supporters emphasized that THINK is not interchangeable with enrichment offerings or general accelerated assignments. “Gifted students are entitled to support just like those receiving special education services,” Stanley said, adding that many parents travel out of district to access the program and that continuity of cohort placement helps students who would otherwise be isolated in larger classes.

No board action tonight: The presenters asked the board to reconsider closing the program, but the district did not announce a formal decision at the meeting. Superintendent Richards and board members listened; Richards later said the administration would gather stakeholder input as part of a broader budget process.

Community context and next steps: Several speakers tied the program’s possible closure to the district’s fiscal review following the failed override and bond measures. Board members later said the administration will circulate surveys and hold community meetings as part of a Phase 2 planning process if no new override funding is approved. Those outreach steps are expected to include parents, staff, students and community stakeholders.

Ending note: Parents asked the board to preserve THINK for current and future students. The board did not make a vote on the program during the meeting.