Schools for Gifted Children in Houston
Intellectually gifted children can benefit from attending schools with accelerated or enriched curriculums, learning in peer groups reflective of their intellectual level. The Duke University Talent Identification Program consistently found that gifted students in dedicated schools, advanced classes and pullout programs achieved at higher levels and were more satisfied with school than their peers in traditional programs. In Houston, there are a range of options for gifted children, including programs within the public schools, alternative schools and traditional private prep schools.
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Rainard School
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Rainard School is a non-profit private school for academically gifted children in Houston. It offers mixed-age classes of 12 to 15 students designed to meet their academic, emotional and social needs. In the fall of 2010, total enrollment was approximately 70 students in all grades. Rainard offers Kindergarten- through 12th-grade-level courses. The school structures its courses around a common theme, with subjects such as math, science and language arts taught as they apply to overall topics. Past themes have included "Spaceship Earth" and "Medieval Studies." Teachers measure students' progress continuously, rather than limiting them to grade-level expectations.
School of the Woods
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School of the Woods is a private Montessori school in Houston serving ages two-and-a-half though high school. The program's goal is to develop life-long learners, encouraging each child's unique talents and learning style. Students do not receive grades, and instead are evaluated through a system known as "mastery learning." Lessons are progressive, and students must show a mastery of the current lesson before moving on to the next. The school encourages community service, teamwork and responsibility. Multi-age classrooms are the norm.
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Kinkaid
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A traditional private college preparatory school, The Kinkaid School has over 1300 students in pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade. The school's philosophy focuses on educational excellence as well as personal responsibility. Typical class size ranges from 13 to 16 students, with academic programs emphasizing hands-on learning, technology in the classroom and extracurricular activities such as fine arts and athletics. Kinkaid's programs in debate, visual arts and creative writing have received national recognition.
Houston Independent School District Gifted and Talented Programs
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The Houston Independent School District (HISD) is the largest public school system in Texas and the seventh-largest in the U.S. The district has two program options for gifted students. The Vanguard Magnet program groups children identified as gifted and talented together in magnet schools throughout the district. The magnet school programs vary; some focus on fine arts, others on languages, math and science or technology. The Vanguard Neighborhood program offers students an accelerated program at their local school. HISD identifies gifted students through various criteria, who then apply to their program of choice.
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