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New talent identification programs offer above-grade testing
When Duke University shut down its Duke TIP program in 2020, it left a worrisome hole in the available resources for gifted children and their parents. Fortunately, leaders in gifted education immediately began working on new programs to fill this gap, and two talent identification programs are now up and operating.
Baylor University
Baylor University, in Texas, recently launched Baylor TIP, which has begun offering above-grade testing for students in grades 4 through 8 who meet certain academic qualifications. Students in grades 7 or 8 can take a college-readiness exam that is designed for high-school juniors and seniors. Students in grades 4, 5 and 6 can take a different version of that exam, which has been modified for students in grades 8 and 9.
The exam can be taken online at any time. A paper version is also available. Parents can sign their children up individually, or schools can arrange to administer a test to multiple students. An informational session for school administrators will be held via Zoom this Friday, April 29.
Participating TIP students will receive a score report with educational recommendations. Those who participate will automatically qualify for enrichment programs offered through the Baylor Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development. Baylor TIP also will host an awards program for those with exceptionally high scores.
Western Kentucky University
The TIP-KY program is currently focused on testing students within the state of Kentucky, but the program director said they will try to assist students in other states who don’t have another option.
Why take an above-grade test?
Above-grade testing is valuable for gifted students, who often peg the meter on the standardized tests they’re administered in school. Taking a standardized test that was designed for an older student can help a student’s parents understand just how far ahead their child is, which can be useful in advocating for advanced learning in school.
In the now shuttered Duke TIP Talent Search, 7th-grade students took the SAT or ACT right alongside high-school juniors and seniors. That option seems to be off the table for now, as both the ACT and College Board now limit test registration to students who are 13 or older.
April workshops for grades 2 through 12 at Georgia Tech
The next session of Georgia Tech’s CEISMC programs will be Saturday, April 23.
K.I.D.S. Club, open to students in grades 2 through 5, will feature topics including coding, neuroscience and aerodynamics.
Students in grades 6 through 12 can enroll in STEAM Workshops, with topics such as marine science, website design and the mathematics of infectious diseases.
The April workshops will be held in person, on the Georgia Tech campus.
Applications open for Atlanta Virtual Academy
Did your child do better with school when it was all online? Do they prefer to work at their own pace? If so, and if you live in the city of Atlanta, you can register now for virtual school for the 2022-2023 school year.
Atlanta Public Schools offers two programs through its Atlanta Virtual Academy (AVA):
- AVA Flex. Students work independently and have a teacher available to them as needed. Open to grades 6 through 12.
- AVA Direct. Live, daily instruction with a teacher. Open to grades K through 12.
Courses offered through AVA include honors and AP sections.
To attend the AVA program, a student must be registered in an Atlanta Public Schools elementary, middle, or high school.
The application period for AVA will close on April 15, 2022.
Gifted Atlanta 