In Du Quoin CUSD 300, a district with deep community pride, the approach to education goes far beyond the traditional classroom. For more than a decade, Du Quoin has invested heavily in its gifted and advanced learning programs, ensuring students who learn differently are challenged, supported, and given pathways to excel. For a small, rural district, the scale and scope are nothing short of remarkable.

“Most gifted students come to school already knowing half the core content,” says Diana Rea, District Superintendent and veteran educator. “If we don’t differentiate for them, they’re left sitting on the bench, under-challenged, and often misunderstood.” Du Quoin’s solution is to begin early—every second through fourth grader is screened for potential placement. From there, multiple years of data, not just one test, help identify who will benefit most.

The result is an intentionally inclusive model. Rather than setting the bar narrowly, Du Quoin “over-identifies,” with nearly 20 percent of each class receiving gifted or advanced programming. That generosity allows for students who mature at different rates—those not ready in second grade may still have opportunities in third or fourth. Once identified, students remain in the program through fourth grade, creating stability and avoiding stigma.

Teachers Rachel Tilley, Jennifer Craft, and Kimberly Loyd see firsthand how these children challenge norms and surprise even seasoned educators. “They’re not always the straight-A students,” Craft explains. “Sometimes they’re perfectionists who struggle. Sometimes they’re C students. But they think differently. Our job is to give them a space where it’s okay to fail, to take risks, to show their brilliance in ways that don’t always look traditional.”

That philosophy reshapes classrooms. Students regularly approach problems from unique angles, propose new methods, or ask questions even their teachers can’t answer. “I start the year telling them, ‘You’re going to know more than me sometimes,’” Tilley says. “And that’s okay. That’s what makes it collaborative.” Kimberly Loyd echoes the importance of keeping these students engaged: “If you’re challenging them, keeping their minds busy, you prevent the boredom that can lead to acting out.”

The program’s reach extends into middle school, where accelerated reading and math courses create clear pathways into high school honors and AP classes. Algebra in eighth grade, geometry as freshmen, and ultimately AP Calculus are common outcomes. Middle school teacher Brittany Goldman appreciates the continuity: “I get to keep the same group of students for three years. By eighth grade, they’re like a well-oiled machine—funny, smart, and ready to take on challenges.”

All classes have rigor - gifted/advanced learning programs are focused more on complexity and accelerated pacing.. Students not in TAG (a commonly used acronym for talented and gifted programming) often ask how they can qualify, pushing themselves harder in regular classes. High schoolers aspire to honors tracks after seeing peers succeed. And parents, sometimes skeptical at first, grow to see how the program strengthens not only their own children, but the culture of learning across the district.

For Rea, who also serves as president-elect of the Illinois Association for Gifted Children, Du Quoin’s model carries broader significance. “Every child deserves rigor,” she says. “Gifted students need safe places to fail, to try, to discover what else they know that they don’t yet know. That’s how they grow—and how communities grow with them.”

In a district where neighbors still answer late-night calls and pride in local schools runs deep, Du Quoin CUSD 300 has made gifted and advanced learning part of its identity. “We want every child here—whether they’re a star athlete, a star student, or a little bit of both—to get exactly what they need to thrive” Rea says with a smile, fully aware she’s got the receipts to prove it’s happening.

For the teachers who lead it, there’s no turning back. “I couldn’t imagine going back to teaching any other way,” Craft admits. “Once you’ve seen what these kids can do, you realize this is what education should be.”