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Educational Options: District GT Programs

• Organizations: Competitions

  Meridian Stories

  Meridian Stories is a Maine-based non-profit founded in 2011. Every year, Meridian Stories offers 20 digital storytelling competitions in Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and History for teams of students in middle and high schools. Schools register for the program by paying an annual subscription rate that provides access to all 20 challenges and the capacity to compete with other schools in the Meridian community. Teams work collaboratively over a three to four week period to complete their media production and upload them to the Meridian site. While Meridian Stories is designed for use by the whole school, the local programs for the Gifted and Talented community of students have been its biggest advocates.

• Organizations: National

  National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) - Administrator Toolbox

  With short videos, factsheets, diagrams and a program evaluation checklist, the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) Administrator Toolbox is a webpage for school district leaders and administrators across the nation with free resources to help them better serve high-ability learners. The materials in the toolbox are grouped into four sections: rationale for gifted education; basics of gifted education programming; accountability for gifted student learning; and connecting gifted education to other school practices, such as Response to Intervention.

• Printed Materials: Books

  Designing and Developing Programs for Gifted Students

  This handbook is a practical guide for starting your own gifted program. The author gives tips on Designing and implementing curriculum for pre-K through middle school, identifying and selecting the best teachers, creating the vital support networks among parents, school, and community, assessing the program’s impact on children, parents, and teachers and developing special programming for the disadvantaged gifted students.

  Educating the More Able Student: What Works and Why

  This book by Martin Stephen and Ian Warwick discusses the education strategies utilized to advance gifted and talented young people throughout the world. This comprehensive guide provides a first person view into the intricacies of various gifted program practices, their effectiveness and implications.

  Enhancing and Expanding Gifted Programs: The Levels of Service Approach

  This guidebook offers an innovative, field-tested approach to programming for gifted children. The "Levels of Service" approach to programming is a research-supported, common-sense technique to gifted education program development. This how-to manual for building an effective gifted program offers a four-level approach to gifted education services. Each level is thoroughly discussed, specific services are suggested, real-world examples are provided, and additional areas of development are discussed.

  Identifying Gifted Students: A Step-by-Step Guide (The Practical Strategies Series in Gifted Education)

  Written by Susan K. Johnsen, Ph.D., this publication will provide directors and coordinators of programs for gifted and talented students with a specific step-by-step plan for developing an identification procedure in a school or school district. While the sections of this publication are laid out sequentially according to the steps, identification is an ongoing process. The goal of identification is to ensure that every gifted and talented student who needs a program that is different from the general education curriculum receives one that is matched to his or her specific characteristics.
  

  Methods and Materials for teaching the gifted (4th ed.)

  The updated fourth edition of this book is an excellent introduction to gifted education and real-world learning. The chapters of this comprehensive textbook are written by respected leaders in the field of gifted education who review the unique needs of gifted learners and give current information on instructional planning and evaluation, strategies for best practices, and ongoing enhancement and support of gifted programs. Chapters include topics such as differentiated curricular design, extending learning through research, writing challenging instructional units, and developing leadership skills and innovative thinkers. Instructional practices such as problem-based learning, technology literacy, independent study, simulation and gaming, and more are addressed. A special focus is given to using the Gifted Education Programming Standards and Common Core State Standards. The fourth edition provides updated information on funding sources and public relations strategies for gifted education programs. It also includes updated lists of books, teaching materials, websites, and other resources for teachers of the gifted.

  Removing the Mask: Giftedness in Poverty

  With Drs. Ruby Pane and Paul Slocumb, former president of Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented (TAGT) and an educator for 30 years, explain how standard identification tools are not the best way to identify gifted children in poverty. The authors have created new instruments that take poverty into account, which provide schools a method for achieving equity in gifted programs.

  Scales for Rating the Behavioral Characteristics of Superior Students - Renzulli Scales

  Note: This item is only available for purchase by educational institutions. The Scales for Rating the Behavioral Characteristics of Superior Students are commonly referred to as the Renzulli Scales or Renzulli-Hartman Scales. In its third edition, the Renzulli Scales are the nation's most popular tool for identifying gifted children. Supported by 40 years of research, the Renzulli Scales are used by gifted and talented programs across the country. This standardized instrument is completed by teachers and provides an effective method for identifying gifted children. The Renzulli Scales are designed to obtain teacher estimates of a student's characteristics in the following areas: Learning, Creativity, Motivation, Leadership, Artistic, Musical, Dramatics, Communication (Precision), Communication (Expressiveness), Planning, Mathematics, Reading, Technology and Science.

  Staff Development: The Key to Effective Gifted Education Programs

  Developed through a joint effort between Prufrock Press, Inc. and the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), this book acts as the reference for anyone involved in gifted and talented staff development. Facilitators for gifted programs must be able to plan, implement and evaluate staff-development experiences for a variety of school personnel and support role groups.

  Working With Gifted English Language Learners (The Practical Strategies Series in Gifted Education)

  Author Michael S. Matthews, Ph.D. introduces educators to the complexities and challenges of providing appropriate educational experiences for gifted English Language Learners. This unique, comprehensive book guides educators toward identifying gifted students in this population, including a look at nonverbal and Spanish-language testing, and gives advice for integrating these students into any gifted program.

• Printed Materials: Online Documents

  Dealing With the Needs of Underachieving Gifted Students in a Suburban School District: What Works!

  This article looks at who 'underachievers' historically are and what one urban school district is doing to help young people break the cycle of underachievement.

• Schools & Programs: Public

  Accelerated Learning Lab Classroom (A.L.L.) (American Fork, UT)

  An Advanced Learning Lab (A.L.L.) classroom is composed of 30 or more students who have tested with the district on nationally normed tests and have shown ability for advancement in academic learning.

  Alaska - Anchorage School District Gifted Program (Anchorage, AK)

  The Anchorage School District Gifted Program offers a variety of services to students in grades K-12, including services to meet the needs of Highly Gifted students, the IGNITE pull-out program and The Mentorship Connection for high school students.

  Arizona - Madison Elementary School District 38 (Phoenix, AZ)

  The Madison Elementary School District offers a variety of programs throughout the district to meet the needs of gifted students. The REACH (Rigorous, Enriched, Accelerated Curriculum) Center for highly gifted students is a school within a school. The PACE (Program for Advanced and Challenging Environment) serves students in grades K-2. The AEP (Academic Enrichment Program) serves students in grades 3-8.

  Arizona - Paradise Valley Unified School District (PVUSD) Gifted Education Department (Phoenix, AZ)

  The Paradise Valley Unified School District (PVUSD) is expanding the Self-Contained Gifted Program, beginning in the 2010-11 school year, to a second site at Desert Cove Elementary School, contingent on demand. This expanded program will offer three multi-age self-contained gifted classes at Desert Cove: grades 1/ 2, 3 / 4 and 5 / 6. Students in this program generally work two or more years beyond grade level with intellectual peers.
  

  Arizona - Tucson Unified School District Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) (Tuscon, AZ)

  This program is for qualified students in the elementary and middle school levels who have potential for high achievement. Students attend full time, five days a week at a school that accommodates the feeder pattern of the home school. Students are given their own instructional program taught under the supervision of teachers certified or endorsed in gifted education.

  California - Hemet Unified School District Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) (Hemet, CA)

  The Hemet Unified School District participates in the California Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) program. In an effort to inlcude non-English speaking students and/or students with learning disabilities, this GATE program first identifies students as being potentially gifted and talented at the end of second grade. Differentiation of the core curriculum to provide advanced learning opportunities, in an environment that encourages students to become stakeholders in their own education, is the foundation of the Hemet GATE plan.

  California - Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Gifted and Talented Programs (Los Angeles, CA)

  LAUSD was one of two districts in California to develop an extensive educational program for gifted in 1951. Legislation (AB2313) made it necessary to restructure the existing local school programs to meet the differentiated instructional needs of gifted/talented students. This program offers the following opportunities: Regular community schools that include a cluster program for gifted students, Schools for Advanced Studies, Magnets for gifted and highly gifted students (San Jose Elementary, Welby Way & Multnomah Elementary), Conservatory of Fine Arts, Honors and Advanced Placement classes (middle and senior high schools).

  California - Old Adobe Union School District, GATE Program (Petaluma, CA)

  The Old Adobe GATE program serves highly able 4th-5th-6th grade students from all five schools in the Old Adobe district. GATE students are clustered within regular classrooms and are served with differentiated curriculum instruction in subject areas where their abilities exceed the California State Standards. The GATE Enrichment Program offers a technology-based curriculum designed to provide greater depth, breadth and complexity than is usually available in the regular classroom setting. The GATE Enrichment program serves students for a trimester during the year.
  

  California - San Diego Unified School District - GATE Program (San Diego, CA)

  The Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) program supports unique opportunities for high-achieving and underachieving pupils who are identified as gifted and talented.

  Colorado - Aurora Public Schools - The Options Schools for Homeschoolers (Aurora, CO)

  Aurora Public Schools offers a free support and enrichment program for homeschool students (K-12) called The Options Schools program, which is designed to support parents. Parents remain the primary instructional provider, with the school supplementing their efforts. Families participating in the program get limited instruction and educational materials at no cost. This is possible because, as a public school, Options receives a portion of the PPOR (Per Pupil Operating Revenue) distributed at the state level for each enrolled student. This money is used to pay salaries, for curriculum and other costs associated with running the program.

  Colorado - Boulder Valley School District (Boulder, CO)

  This school district has been identified as allowing acceleration for profoundly gifted students. Each school in the Boulder Valley School District provides opportunities for advanced students to excel. This list suggests some of the ways in which schools serve gifted students: Advanced Learning Plans (ALPs) or Learning Contracts; schools of choice; differentiated curriculum and instruction; cluster grouping; acceleration by subject or grade; curriculum compacting; summer and Saturday programs; mentorships and internships; multi-age grouping; independent studies; and, enrichment and competitions.

  Colorado - Denver Public Schools Highly Gifted Program (Denver, CO)

  The Denver Public Schools Highly Gifted Program provides an educational option for identified students whose exceptional intellectual ability and acadmic potential, with related social/emotional needs, exceed those addressed in a regular classroom. It provides a full-day school experience and is designed for students who have academic needs beyond their grade level and need the support and challenge provided by a peer group with similar interests and abilities. Highly Gifted Programs are offered at 7 elementary and 1 middle school. Each school differs in how it serves students. Contact the school that serves your home address (or that you are most interested in) to meet with the principal, tour the site, and watch a class in session.

  Colorado - Jefferson County Public Schools (JEFFCO) Gifted and Talented Program (Golden, CO)

  Jefferson County Public Schools has various programs for gifted students, including early entrance to kindergarten and gifted center schools.

  Delaware - Brandywine School District Gifted Services (Claymont, DE)

  The Brandywine School District is committed to providing quality programming and opportunities for students identified as gifted and/or talented, and for students whose rate and level of learning is above the average. Services include enrichment opportunities for students at all schools, and the full-time Academically Gifted Program for elementary students.

  Florida - Polk County Gifted Education Program of Services (Polk County, FL)

  Polk County Gifted Education services are available to all qualifying gifted students in Polk County, Florida. The Gifted Education Program focuses on identifying and serving students who are intellectually gifted. Program specifics and online resources are available on the website. Resource models are outlined according to the general range of grades (K-5, 6-8 & high school). The GT program challenges students according to their ability through academic acceleration, academic enrichment, and differentiated curriculum. Students in the gifted program are supported by regular education teachers as well as teachers of gifted, who collaborate according to the student's Education Plan.

  Georgia - Forsyth County Schools (Cumming, GA)

  Forsyth County offers gifted-friendly programming such as the Highly Academically Gifted Program (HAG) where the most gifted students can attend a separate school. Guilford County has an Advanced Learner (AL) Program that provides 3 leves of services - Moderate Need, Strong Need, and Very Strong Need. The VSN program is available to students grades 4-8.
  

  Highly Capable Services - Lake Washington School District (Redmond, WA)

  Lake Washington School District provides accelerated academic programs for highly capable students in kindergarten through 12th grade. These programs are designed to meet the learning styles and needs of students with superior intellectual, academic, and creative abilities. Children who demonstrate exceptional ability, exceed grade level standards in literacy and math, and possess strong motivation to excel are good candidates.

  Idaho - Boise School District Gifted Services (Boise, ID)

  The Boise School District provides services to gifted children that respond to their unique social, emotional and cognitive needs.

  Idaho - West Ada School District (Meridian, ID)

  West Ada School District, located in Meridian, Idaho, offers a variety of magnet schools at the elementary, middle and high school levels incorporating a self-contained elementary gifted program and "Schools of Choice" middle school program.

  Indiana - Mishawaka High Ability Program (Mishawaka, IN)

  School City of Mishawaka offers High Ability programs for elementary, middle and high school students. The staff of School City of Mishawaka, in partnership with parents and the community, recognizes there are students who exhibit or show potential for exceptionally high academic performance. These high ability learners require differentiated, accelerated, and inspiring learning experiences. This school district will identify these students, offer social and emotional support, and challenge them with educational choices that lead to the pursuit of excellence.

  Iowa - Des Moines Public Schools Gifted Programs (Des Moines, IA)

  Through out the school year, programs will be offered to students, parents, and families. The Des Moines Public Schools is committed to serving all gifted and talented students. Scholarships are available for programming offered during the summer. Programs include: Central Academy for highly gifted and talented students for 8-12 grades; enrichment summer school for K-9 gifted students; accelerated summer math classes are offered to invited fifth graders transitioning to sixth grade; and, an Outdoor Adventure Camp for middle school students the third week in July.

  Kentucky - Fayette County Public Schools Gifted & Talented (Lexington, KY)
  

  The gifted and talented selection process requires informal documentation and standardized assessments as appropriate. Kids in grades K-3 are informally selected for the primary talent pool. Students in grades 4-12 are formally identified for gifted and talented services.

  Kentucky - McCracken County Public Schools (Paducah, KY)

  This school district has been identified as allowing acceleration for profoundly gifted students.

  Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) - Gifted and Talented Education (Nashville, TN)

  Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) serves Gifted and Talented students through the Encore Program. Students eligible for this program are in kindergarten through sixth grade. Encore classes meet one-half day each week in local schools.

  Michigan - Charyl Stockwell Academy District (Howell, MI)

  Charyl Stockwell Academy (CSA) District is a high performing public school district that uses state of the art instructional best practices in a K-12 school setting. The district is made up of three schools: elementary, middle and college preparatory. The academic achievement record of CSA District places it among the top performing school districts in the county and in the state. The K-12 program offers music, art, physical education, and foreign language, and incorporates a strong program for the academically gifted as well as a comprehensive system of support for students with learning challenges.

  Michigan - Utica Gifted and Talented (Sterling Heights, MI)

  The Academically Talented & Gifted Program in the Utica Community Schools in Michigan serves fourth through sixth grade students from 28 elementary schools. Utica Community Schools is committed to interfacing gifted and talented needs with the School Improvement Process.

  Minnesota - Independent School District 196, Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools (Rosemount, MN)

  This school district has been identified as allowing acceleration for profoundly gifted students.

  Missouri - Kansas City Program for Exceptionally Gifted Students (PEGS) (Kansas City, MO)

  The Program for Exceptionally Gifted Students (PEGS) program identifies and serves exceptionally gifted students in a full-time academic environment appropriate for their unique needs in the Center School District located in Kansas City, Missouri.

  Missouri - Rockwood School District Gifted Education Program (Ellisville, MO)

  The Center for Creative Learning (Grades K-5), Academic Stretch (Grades 6-8), and the Secondary Gifted Program (9-12) comprise the Rockwood School District's program for academically gifted students. All students involved in the program meet criteria set forth by the school district and approved by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

  Missouri - St. Louis Regional Program for Exceptionally Gifted Students (PEGS) (St. Louis, MO)

  The St. Louis Regional Program for Exceptionally Gifted Students (PEGS) is a full time public gifted program in the St. Louis metropolitan area (Pattonville School District) featuring acceleration and enrichment for students grades 1-12 (or equivalent ages) with two separately administered and funded branches--a South Campus housed in the Lindbergh school district and a North Campus located in the Pattonville school district.

  Missouri - University City Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) - University City, MO

  In the school district of University City, the Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) program is offered off-site for a limited number of qualifying students in grades two (2) through twelve (12) who qualify as being exceptionally gifted.

  Montana - Stevensville School District #2 (Stevensville, MT)

  Stevensville School District #2 is the public coeducational school district for grades K-12 in Stevensville, Montana. This district has an extensive K-12 gifted and talented program called "Extended Studies."

  Nevada - Clark County School District Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) Program (Las Vegas, NV)

  The Clark County School District provides Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) programming to eligible students who score at or above the 98th percentile on qualifying tests. The Highly Gifted K-12 Program is also available to identified students, providing individualized programming.

  Nevada - Washoe County School District (WCSD) Gifted and Talented Education Program (Reno, NV)

  The mission of the Washoe County School District is to provide our gifted and talented students differentiated instruction that is commensurate with their exceptional abilities through a spectrum of curricular and instructional gifted services and opportunities. The District will provide programs for gifted and talented students to work together under the guidance of trained teachers in an atmosphere that is intellectually and academically rigorous, fosters creativity, and provides emotional support.

  New Mexico - Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) Gifted Resources (Albuquerque, NM)

  Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) provides a continuum of services for more than 4,000 gifted students. Under New Mexico State Department of Education regulations, gifted students are identified and served under a special education model. Students must meet state requirements to be eligible for gifted programs. This school district has been identified as allowing acceleration for profoundly gifted students.

  North Carolina - Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) (Charlotte, NC)

  The Charlotte-Mecklenburg school district is made up of 154 schools (K-12) in the Charlotte area. A number of gifted options are offered throughout the CMS system, including an International Baccalaureate program and an Advanced Placement program.

  Ohio - Beachwood City School District Gifted Program (Beachwood, OH)

  The Beachwood City School District provides at least two opportunities a year for assessment in the case of children requesting assessment or recommended by assessment by teachers or parents. The district provides the following gifted services:
  Horizons Program for Grades 4 thru 8; Early Entrance to Kindergarten; Whole Grade-Acceleration Services for All Students K-12; Individual Subject Acceleration; and Early Graduation Services.

  Ohio - Dublin City Schools Gifted/Enrichment Education (Dublin, OH)

  Dublin City Schools believes that the potential of each student must be developed to the fullest extent possible. A significant number of children in Dublin schools are identified as gifted and talented by Ohio Department of Education criteria and have unique learning needs. Special programming specifically designed for the cognitive, academic, creative, and artistic abilities of gifted and talented children will enable them to reach their maximum potential.

  Ohio - Oakwood City School District Gifted Program (Dayton, OH)

  Most gifted students in Oakwood are served through differentiation provided within the general education program. The Oakwood Gifted Program assesses students for giftedness, provides professional development for educators and resources for parents, and provides additional services for those gifted students who require more extensive enrichment/extension. This school district has been identified as allowing acceleration for profoundly gifted students.

  Ohio - Warren Local School District Gifted Services (OH)

  This school district has been identified as allowing for the acceleration for profoundly gifted students.

  Ohio - Willoughby-Eastlake School District Gifted Program (Willoughby, OH)

  The Willoughby-Eastlake Schools want to provide appropriate educational alternatives and challenges that will allow children who are high-ability learners to develop into creative, intelligent, capable, productive, and compassionate human beings. The gifted and talented Zenith enrichment programs are focused on building each child's strengths to encourage his/her potential for lifelong learning.

  Opportunities for Learning Environment for Advanced Programming (LEAP) (Chapel Hill, NC)

  LEAP is a district-wide, self-contained option for qualified highly gifted students who demonstrate mastery of curriculum that is two or more grade levels above their age peers in Grades 4-8.

  Paterson Academy for the Gifted and Talented (Paterson, NJ)

  Located in New Jersey, the Paterson Academy for the Gifted and Talented at School #28 is a district magnet for students in grades 2 through 8. The Paterson Academy serves students who qualify at the highest level through the gifted screening and identification process. These students need the challenge of a curriculum with highest rigor and expectations that will meet the students’ social, emotional, and academic needs. Students are grouped together in classrooms with other high achieving students where they work at an accelerated pace in all core subject areas, as well as engage in additional differentiated lessons, activities and project based learning.

  Pennsylvania - Oxford Area School District (Oxford, PA)

  This school district been identified as allowing acceleration for profoundly gifted students.

  Pennsylvania - Pittsburgh Gifted Center (PA)

  Located in Pittsburgh's Elliott community, the Pittsburgh Gifted Center provides gifted education for students in grades 1 through 8 who live within the School District of Pittsburgh. These students attend the Center one day a week from public, private, and parochial schools. Eligibility for participation is determined by standards set by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, which includes an evaluation by a certified school psychologist and recommendations from a multi-disciplinary team.
  

  Pennsylvania - School District of Cheltenham Township (Cheltenham, PA)

  This school district has been identified as allowing both grade and subject acceleration for profoundly gifted students.

  Quest (Buffalo, MN)

  The Quest program is a school-within-a-school program for highly gifted students located in the Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose School District. Students in the program have accelerated or enriched classes in mathematics, science, English and social studies, as well as the opportunity to participate in special programs such as Math Masters.

  Texas - Advanced Academic Services, Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District (Carrollton, TX)

  In the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District, the mission of Advanced Academic Services is to design a quality education for all students and support the unique needs of gifted learners. The district offers multi-faceted options of advanced level services designated to capture the imagination of students and to motivate them to participate in the most challenging options possible.

  Texas - Clear Creek Independent School District - Program for Gifted and Talented (League City, TX)

  Clear Creek ISD's program for gifted and talented students is designed to serve those who perform or show potential for performing at a remarkably high level of accomplishment when compared to others of the same age, experience or environment.

  Texas - Fort Bend Independent School District Gifted and Talented Program (Sugar Land, TX)

  This GT program is charged with identifying academically gifted students and providing for the special needs of these students. Gifted students tend to learn at a remarkably rapid rate, to be extremely sensitive and intense. The characteristics of gifted students create special needs which the Fort Bend ISD/GT Program is designed to meet.

  Texas - Houston Independent School District (HISD) (Houston, TX)

  Houston Independent School District (HISD) serves gifted/talented students in a learning continuum provided through two district-wide program options: Vanguard, a Magnet program that serves students in grades K-12; and, Vanguard Neighborhood Program which serves students in grades K-12.

  Texas - The Spring Branch School for Highly Gifted Students (Houston, TX)

  The Spring Branch ISD School for Highly Gifted Students is designed to provide highly, exceptionally, and profoundly gifted children an advanced educational opportunity matched to their individual abilities, strengths and interests.

  Universal High School Program at Silver Creek High School for Bright and Gifted Students (Longmont, CO)

  UHS is a district program that is housed at Silver Creek High School for Bright and Gifted Students in Colorado. Students take a combination of regular classes, independent studies, on-line, or college classes based on interests and needs.

  Universal Middle School at Sunset Middle (Longmont, CO)

  The Universal Middle School Program (UMS) is designed to meet the needs of high achieving and gifted students who want to pursue learning at a higher level, faster pace, or independently.

  Virginia - Fairfax County Public Schools Advanced Academic Programs (Falls Church, VA)

  Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) is committed to providing challenging learning experiences for all learners that build on individual strengths and optimize academic potential. In order to meet the needs and develop the potential of advanced learners, FCPS provides a continuum of advanced academic services. Two of the schools within this district have allowed acceleration of profoundly gifted students - Haycock Elementary and Longfellow Middle School.

  Washington - Bellevue School District Gifted programs (Bellevue, WA)

  Bellevue School District’s Gifted Programs expand Bellevue’s rigorous curriculum to serve students of exceptionally high intellectual ability. Three programs are designed to enrich and challenge the thinking of students with a greater capacity and need for learning: an enrichment pull-out program for grades 2-5; PRISM, a full-time program for grades 2-5; and, the Gifted High School Program (GHSP) for grades 9-12.

  Washington - Spokane Public Schools Libby Center Odyssey & Tessera Programs (Spokane, WA)

  The Spokane Public Schools elementary and middle school Odyssey Program is a full-day, every day gifted magnet program at Libby Center for fifth through eighth grade students. Students who qualify for the district's Tessera Program also qualify for Odyssey and may apply for enrollment in the Odyssey program as fifth, sixth, seventh, or eighth graders. Tessera is a one day per week program at Libby Center for highly capable students in grades 3-6 who represent the top 3 percent of their norm group. Students are selected on the basis of academic, intellectual, and creative ability.

  Washington - Vancouver School District-Challenge Program (Vancouver, WA)

  Described as "A Program for Highly Capable Learners," the Challenge Program is designed to meet the unique learning needs of students with demonstrated intellectual ability and/or potential in terms of cognitive capacity, academic achievement, and/or exceptional creativity. Located in three elementary and three middle schools, VANSD offers part of its public education classes (K-8 grades) wtih accelerated curriculum.

  Wisconsin - Appleton Area School District Talented & Gifted (Appleton, WI)

  The Appleton Area School District is committed to providing a continuum of services to students identified as talented and gifted. Providing instruction that will challenge, support, and inspire these students results in expanding their potential through intellectual, social, and emotional growth. Some schools in this district allow subject acceleration in mathematics for profoundly gifted students.

• Websites & Other Media: For Educators

  National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) - National Programming Standards

  NAGC has developed national standards in programming and services and teacher preparation to guide high quality education for the nation’s estimated 3 to 5 million gifted and talented students. Standards provide a basis for policies, rules, and procedures that are essential for providing systematic programs and services to any special population of students. While standards may be addressed and implemented in a variety of ways, they provide important direction and focus to designing and developing options for gifted learners at the local level.

  Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) Accelerated Model Course Pathways

  This resource offers guidance to schools and districts seeking to organize NGSS performance expectations into a compressed time frame. The NGSS Accelerated Model Course Pathways are designed for high-achieving students who want or need to pursue advanced level science courses earlier in middle or high school, and at a more rapid pace. Key components of this resource are three NGSS Accelerated Model Course Maps, which outline examples for how schools and districts might reorganize NGSS performance expectations into fewer courses - without omitting any.