Programs for Gifted Children

There are a variety of programs available for gifted children.  Academic Programs may meet during or after school, usually during the school year and sponsored by the school or home school organization.  Summer and Saturday Programs are just that - programs offered during non-school hours, that allow gifted children to get together with other gifted children and do things they enjoy.  Talent Search programs also meet in the summers, with a few Saturday options, but are a specific subset, usually requiring standardized testing during the school year to qualify.

There are special Schools, designed to meet the needs of gifted children.  Some of these schools are a great fit for some gifted children, but like any other program, one size does not fit all.  Distance Education programs often meet the needs of students who are looking for high school or college classes at elementary school age, and those who are remote geographically from other programs. 

Some gifted students find Early Entrance College a more palatable option; this page includes not only early college programs, but (Early) College Planning, (Early) College Success Stories, College Scholarship and even College Summer Research Programs

Gifted students also have a great deal of interest in International Exchange Programs, and their families often find themselves as host families to foreign students, as well.  And families of the gifted will enjoy Family Expeditions, travel adventures for gifted families to enjoy together!

And over in the Educators section, Continuing Education lists programs specifically offered for educators of the gifted, both masters and PhD programs, though there are very few across the country except in states that require a gifted certification to be a teacher of the gifted, and even there, most programs are simply enough to get the certification, and often fail to offer information on the more unusual gifted: highly, exceptionally and profoundly gifted children.