Resources
Organizations
National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) is an advocacy group that strives to raise awareness of gifted children and their needs. NAGC supports and publishes research about what techniques work in gifted education. Parent memberships start at $30. The site’s Information & Publications area features position papers on educational issues that may be useful in advocacy activities.
The Duke University Talent Identification Program, usually referred to simply as Duke TIP, has perhaps been best known for its Talent Search programs. For 40 years, students who registered for Duke TIP’s 7th Grade Talent Search took the SAT — and in later years, the ACT — to get a more accurate measure of their ability than they could glean from grade-level tests that they routinely pegged at the 99th percentile. Unfortunately, in 2020, Duke TIP wasn’t able to hold its summer programs, which disrupted the entire program’s finances. In October 2020, Duke TIP announced it would discontinue all Talent Search programs, although it will look for other ways to identify and serve gifted students. Students who took part in the Talent Search in prior years will still have access to resources through the Duke TIP web site.
The Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth also conducts an annual Talent Search, which is open to students in grades 2-8. Talent Search participants can take above-grade tests, and students with qualifying scores on these tests become eligible to enroll in CTY summer programs, which take place on college campuses across the United States.
Georgia Association for Gifted Children (GAGC) puts on an annual conference with some topics of interest to parents, although much of its programming is geared at teachers. You can join the organization for a fee. GAGC’s resources page has links to many enrichment opportunities and information sources. One metro area county has a local chapter of GAGC: Gwinnett Alliance for Gifted Education.
Davidson Institute for Talent Development serves profoundly gifted children — the brightest of the bright. Qualified students ages 5-16 can apply to become Davidson Young Scholars, which provides direct access to a counselor who can help with school advocacy and talent development. The institute also offers scholarships and has a summer program for teens.
Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted is focused on emotional issues of particular concern to the gifted, such as peer relationships, motivation, discipline and stress management. Offers webinars, parent support groups, and a free e-mail newsletter.
Information and articles
Articles that can help you evaluate and select a school:
- Finding the best school for your gifted child, from the Davidson Institute. This brief article gives a list of questions to ask potential schools.
Hoagies’ Gifted Education Page is a vast repository of information about gifted children. You can find scholarly articles about gifted education, book recommendations and lots more.
Research Digest is published by Duke TIP (Talent Identification Program). Formerly known as the Duke Gifted Letter, the digest offers research-based information about raising and educating gifted children.
Acceleration Institute at the University of Iowa has information pertaining specifically to the use of acceleration as an educational tool for gifted children.
The Association for the Gifted (TAG), a division of the Council for Exceptional Children, is an advocacy group for gifted education. Membership is intended for professional educators, not parents, but the web site has some worthwhile information.
Teen Ink has a comprehensive list of summer programs for teens held at sites across America and beyond.
Gifted Education Press Quarterly was a free newsletter with scholarly articles about gifted children. It appears to have been discontinued, but you can still access back issues online.
The spring 2010 issue of the Illinois Association for Gifted Children Journal contains more than a dozen articles about how parents and teachers can serve as advocates for the needs of gifted children.
A Nation Deceived, published in 2004 by the John Templeton Foundation, is a thorough review of types of acceleration and their impact — both academic and social — on children. Volume I of the report is an overview of the history of acceleration, types of acceleration, and myths about the effects (especially social) of acceleration. Parents considering acceleration for their children may find it a helpful read. Volume II is a series of scholarly articles from experts in the field. Parents trying to convince administrators to consider acceleration may find this report useful in that effort.
Bright Now is a podcast about parenting gifted children, produced by the Center for Talented Youth at Johns Hopkins University.
Professional Services
Dr. Spomenka Newman, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist specializing in the needs of gifted children. Her practice offers assessment, therapy, and educational advocacy.
Susan Colgate helps high-school students navigate the college selection and application process. She works with students in developing their extra-curricular interests, identifying colleges of interest, preparing college applications and essays, and finding potential sources of financial aid. Susan was formerly the director of the Advanced Academy at the University of West Georgia.
Georgia Psychological Associates provides psychoeducational evaluations appropriate for twice exceptional (2E) gifted children — those children who have high intelligence paired with a learning disability. This practice, led by Dr. Steven Berger, will conduct IQ testing and gifted assessment without the need for a comprehensive evaluation. Call (770) 971-3303.
This page was updated on October 22, 2018. If you find errors in the links or the information presented, please submit a correction using the Contact page on this site. Thank you.
Gifted Atlanta 
Thank you for your very helpful post. Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult to find someone to administer IQ tests without trying to also sell a label, drugs, or psychological services. As of today, 6-7-16, The Psychological Center at Emory does not simply allow students to take an IQ test for the purposes of educational development, or educational assessment. They want to sell more services than just the test. Do you have any other testing services in the metro area you recommend where you can simply take an IQ test?
Tim, I’ve been looking for additional resources lately and should be able to post something soon.
Dori,
Have you found anything yet? Today another psychologist said he was not interested in doing anything other than a full assessment for $3k. He did mention that rates were much less expensive in smaller cities and perhaps we should drive several hours to a different city for a lower rate. That doesn’t seem practical for just an IQ test. I’d like to have my son tested this summer so we can adjust his fall curriculum appropriately and make things as smooth for him as possible once we resume home school this fall.
On Fri, Jun 10, 2016 at 2:25 PM, Gifted Atlanta wrote:
> Dori commented: “Tim, I’ve been looking for additional resources lately > and should be able to post something soon.” >
Yes! I found a practice in East Cobb. Hope they can help you.
Great! Please post their contact information. Thank you!!!
Already did. It’s on the Resources page . . . Georgia Psychological Associates.
Have you heard anything about Dr. Stephen W. Garber? He is listed on the Hoagies list of suggested providers, but I haven’t found anyone else locally who’s had experience with him and his website doesn’t mention much about working with gifted children.
I’ve heard his name. He has, in the past, been a very visible child psychologist in the Atlanta area. I think he used to do a segment on the “Noonday” noon newscast on Channel 11. From occasionally having seen him on the show — mind you, this was over a decade ago — he struck me as more of a general child behaviorist. I don’t have any knowledge of his work with gifted kids. If you would like to send me a confidential message via the contact page, perhaps I can be of more help to you.