Big Ideas
Students who demonstrate high levels of ability or potential compared to their age peers and often require curriculum modifications to stay appropriately challenged.
What are gifted students?
A student permanently moves ahead one or more full grade levels to better match their academic readiness.
What is grade-skipping?
A young learner begins formal schooling earlier than most peers after careful evaluation of academic, social, and emotional readiness.
What is early admission to kindergarten or first grade?
A student completes coursework remotely, often at their own pace, and may earn secondary or postsecondary credit.
What is distance learning / independent study?
This approach focuses on providing richer, deeper, and more varied learning experiences without moving students ahead by grade level.
What is enrichment?
A student remains with age peers for most subjects but attends higher-level classes in one or two specific areas.
What is subject-skipping (or partial acceleration)?
A secondary student earns both high school and postsecondary credit by taking courses offered by another institution.
What is dual enrollment (college courses in high school)?
A specialized school where students live on campus and participate in an accelerated academic program, often connected to a university.
What are residential high schools for gifted students?
This approach allows students to move through curriculum at a faster pace or at a younger-than-usual age.
What is acceleration?
A student shows mastery of course material through an exam and earns credit without completing the full course.
What is credit by examination?
A student completes advanced, standardized coursework followed by a high-stakes exam that may lead to college credit.
What is Advanced Placement (AP)?
Programs that identify highly able students at a young age using above-level testing and offer advanced learning opportunities.
What are talent search programs (e.g., SMPY, CTY)?
This is a likely outcome when advanced learners are not provided with appropriate challenge in school.
What is boredom/underachievement/disengagement?
Multiple years of curriculum are intentionally compressed into a shorter time span, often in subjects like mathematics.
What are telescoped programs?
A highly able adolescent enrolls full-time in postsecondary education before completing the traditional secondary timeline.
What is early admission to college?
A selective, internationally recognized secondary program that offers rigorous coursework across multiple subject areas, emphasizes critical thinking and global perspectives, and assesses students using standardized criteria rather than class ranking.
What are International Baccalaureate (IB) Programs?