Below is an alphabetical listing of highly gifted distance learning schools and programs. Gifted students can use these online options to enrich their education or enroll in fulltime online programming.
21st Century Cyber Charter School (Exton, PA)This public, tuition-free alternative school for grades 6-12 has been in existence since 1999. It provides all Pennsylvania students the opportunity to experience a quality curriculum, designed to meet their individual needs by enabling motivated students to accelerate their education or graduate early. The school is chartered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
American High School American High School’s virtual school program offers quality, Internet-delivered online high school and middle school courses for students throughout the United States and internationally. Since 2004, American High School has enrolled over 8,000 students.
APEX Learning Online Courses This distance learning program offers online courses in many subjects, all of which are high school level, and about half are Advanced Placement. The instructors design each course based on the College Board Curriculum for Advanced Placement Classes.
Areteem Institute Areteem Institute is an educational institution that develops and provides in-depth and advanced math and science programs for K-14 (High School, Middle School, Elementary School, and 2-year college) students and teachers. The Areteem Institute offers online classes, summer programs and teacher training. Students may attend the Areteem Institute part time or fulltime through these options: live and real-time face-to-face online classes; self-paced classes by watching the recordings of the live classes; and summer intensive and winter boot camps.
Art of Inquiry Art of Inquiry is an online school that presents unique interactive, multi-year astrobiology curriculum for bright 9-12 yr old students. Students are welcomed into an open field of space science, fostering their curiosity and sense of wonder. The courses are developed and taught by Julia Brodsky, an astrophysicist by training with many years of experience teaching International Space Station astronauts and flight controllers as well as K-12 students.
Athena’s Advanced Academy Athena’s Advanced Academy offers a wide variety of fast-paced, exciting online classes for a community of gifted students learning at elementary through lower high school levels. Parents have the freedom to place their children into appropriate classes defined by abilities, not ages. Athena’s provides live webinars for most classes, moderated discussion boards, and activities promoting online peer interaction.
Beast Academy – Art of Problem Solving (AoPS) Beast Academy, a project from the Art of Problem Solving (AoPS), provides a full, rigorous and entertaining curriculum for aspiring math students in grades two through five. Four fully-illustrated guides per grade provide complete lessons, delivered by the Beast Academy instructors in an engaging comic book style. All Beast Academy books are aligned to national Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. Beast Academy also now has a new online learning system for elementary school math that provides over 600 lessons, 10,000 problems, and access to the digital versions of the Beast Academy Guide books.
Brave Writer Through user-friendly materials and online classes, you’ll grow into a competent writing coach, calm your anxious writers, and nourish your aspiring authors.
Brigham Young University (BYU) – Independent Study (Provo, UT) This is a distance education program offering more than 500 university, high school, junior high school and personal enrichment courses to people throughout the world. BYU is accredited as an institution by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Courses can be taken through a paper/pencil version or an online version. The student studies the materials, submits lessons, takes a final exam with a proctor or at a testing center, and receives a course grade that can be transferred to the school of their choice.
Carnegie Mellon – Open Learning Initiative (Pittsburgh, PA) Open and free courses through Carnegie Mellon’s Open Learning Initiative offers free access to various courses no charge. However, users do not receive credit and Carnegie Mellon does not provide any certification or verification of completion. Use the self-guiding materials and activities to learn at your own pace.
Center for Talented Youth (CTY) – Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD) The Center for Talented Youth (CTY) at Johns Hopkins University focuses on the needs of students with exceptionally high academic abilities. These students need special attention: greater academic challenges, interaction with intellectual peers, and teaching strategies designed especially for the gifted.
Chase Hill School for Literary Arts This is a small distance learning school that provides high-quality tutorials for adults and children 10 and older. Tutorials offer genuine, constructive interaction between student and teacher and complete flexibility with regard to both assignments and genres, in order to accommodate each student’s unique gifts and interests.
Clackamas Education Service District This webpage lists numerous online learning programs through the Oregon Public Education Network (OPEN). OPEN’s mission is to enable all of Oregon’s K-12 schools to participate in a coordinated information network allowing for students and educators to reach technology based classes and resources.
Clonlara School Clonlara School’s Online Program provides a comprehensive distance learning option for students who are looking for “ready-to-go” courses. We offer a wide variety of self-paced, teacher-supported online courses for students in grades 6–12, with the added support of Clonlara advisors. Students can enroll full time, for a semester, or for individual courses.
Connections Education Connections Education® offers K-12 online public schools and online private schools (Connections Academy®) as well as a blended learning program for high school students (Nexus Academy®).
CU Online – University of Colorado (Boulder, CO) This distance learning program offers the University of Colorado’s catalog of online courses. More than 200 core curriculum, elective and professional development courses in a wide range of disciplines as well as several online degree programs and certificates are offered.
Davidson Academy Online A game changer for profoundly gifted students. Open to students living anywhere in the United States and Canada, this accredited online option builds off the one-of-a-kind, exceptional framework put in place by the Davidson Academy’s Reno day school during the last decade. The result is a robust online community where students thrive. Since 2006, the Davidson Academy’s Reno campus has been recognized as the best option for families with profoundly gifted middle and high school students living in the Reno area. Now, for those unable to relocate to Reno, the online campus offers a rigorous academic environment where students can learn and interact with same-age, intellectual peers.
Davidson: Explore The Davidson: Explore program provides Davidson Young Scholars and qualified gifted students, ages 9-13, with the opportunity to enrich their education by taking advanced middle school courses online adapted from the Davidson Academy’s rigorous curriculum. Designed to be different than other online courses, this year-long middle school gifted program helps students develop their academic and social skills by giving them a platform to learn at their academic level.
Desiderata School Inc. (Longmont, CO) This online school provides a unique and affordable option for students to work toward a college-accepted, accredited diploma through Distance Learning and on-site Private School programs since 1982. Students complete coursework on their own schedule, at their own pace, with the regular attention and assistance of a private Sponsor. Students are treated as individuals with valuable talents and interests. Students and parents are afforded the opportunity to assist in the creation of a personalized curriculum specifically designed to enhance the student’s own learning style.
Edhesive This organization combines online instruction from nationally recognized experts with the personal touch of local coaches, who offer students face-to-face guidance and support. Nationally recognized computer science educators provide online, College Board-approved instruction. Their AP Computer Science course includes a complete, year-long curriculum that includes video lessons and interactive, automatically graded assessments.
eIMACS – e-Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science eIMACS, the distance learning division of the Institute for Mathematics & Computer Science (IMACS), is dedicated to delivering high quality interactive math and computer science classes for gifted secondary school students. University-level, online courses include Advanced Mathematical Logic, University Computer Science, AP Computer Science, and Test Prep for the AP Computer Science and AP Calculus exams. eIMACS is based in Plantation, Florida, and serves students from across the US and around the world, including homeschoolers, students without access to AP Computer Science, and students who want to study advanced math and computer science at their own pace.
Elements of Mathematics: Foundations (EMF) EMF is a self-contained, self-study program from IMACS that allows gifted student to complete all of middle and high school mathematics except calculus before leaving middle school. The EMF curriculum exposes students to subject areas not found in the standard curriculum such as operational systems, set theory, number theory, abstract algebra, and probability and statistics.
Florida Virtual School (FLVS) FLVS is an established leader in developing and providing virtual education solutions to students throughout the country. This online school works in conjuction with public schools (does not issue diplomas) and is accredited by The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and The Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation.
Georgia Virtual School – Georgia Department of Education Georgia Virtual School (GAVS) is part of the Georgia Department of Education’s Office of Technology Services. GAVS is fully accredited and operates in partnership with Georgia parents and schools to offer high school level courses across the state, such as advanced placement, college preparatory, career and technical, and other electives to enhance the high school learning experience.
Idaho Digital Learning Academy (IDLA) (Boise, ID) This online high school is a statewide, web-based educational program set up under the direction of the Idaho State Board of Education and Idaho State Legislature to provide Idaho students with greater access to a diverse assortment of courses. This virtual high school was created to address the educational needs of all Idaho students: traditional, homeschooled, at-risk, gifted and adult learners. The IDLA is accredited through the Northwest Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities.
Illinois Virtual High School (Springfield, IL) The Illinois Virtual High School is a cyber high school offering distance learning opportunities for students in Illinois. Their mission is to use new and emerging technologies that expand the boundaries of space and time to provide Illinois students and their teachers with increased equity and access to the highest quality educational opportunities.
Internet Homeschool Internet Home School is a fully accredited online school, offering classes in math, English, science, social science, health, computer science, foreign languages and art history. Accepts students in grades K-12.
Idea Math (Various Locations) The IDEA MATH program was created to help talented students who want to advance their problem solving skills – both to expand their mathematical horizons, and to maximize their performance in math competitions. They offer the following for students entering 6th to 12th grade: weekend program; winter program (AMC 123); summer program; and an online program.
Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science (IMACS) Math Enrichment IMACS gives talented students a competitive edge by teaching them how to think critically using logic and reasoning. The online IMACS Math Enrichment program (grades K-6) incorporates games, stories, and logic puzzles to make the weekly instructor-led classes fun and engaging. Students progress through five levels of meticulously designed lessons, learning advanced concepts often overlooked in traditional math classes such as sets, relations, and functions. IMACS students are grouped by ability, not age, and so students will be free to reach their full potential. IMACS serves students from across the United States and around the world through its online programs. Parents with elementary school children may register for a free math enrichment placement class.
Independent High School Program – University of Nebraska (Lincoln, NE) With more than 100 courses to choose from for students in grades 9-12, this distance learning program through the University of Nebraska, Lincoln offers an online, convenient course delivery system coupled with the dependability of an accredited, university-based high school. The school’s students can be in a home school environment, a learning organization, a traditional high school, or have a lifestyle of extensive travel. Students can transfer credits back to a school or organization of their choosing, or earn a fully-accredited, college-prep diploma. Graduates receive a diploma that meets the admissions standards of colleges and universities across the nation.
Indiana Academy Distance Learning Program – Ball State University (Muncie, IN) The Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities’ Office of Outreach Programs extends the institute’s mission to other schools and students throughout the state using the most economical and effective technologies available. This also allows us to serve students around the globe who are in need of advanced courses. Through these various Outreach programs, the Indiana Academy strives to stimulate and enable vitality in educational programs for academically gifted students and teachers.
Iowa Online Advanced Placement Academy (IOAPA) Advanded PlacementTM gives students an opportunity to take college-level courses and exams while still in high school. IOPA also offers AP training for teachers as well as information for mentors. Courses are offered through Apex Learning and include both Essentials and Comprehensive Courses.
Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth Online Distance Courses (CTYOnline) The Center for Talented Youth (CTY) has served the needs of academically gifted students worldwide by providing challenging programs matched to their abilities. CTYOnline distance courses offer eligible students opportunities to accelerate and enrich their learning at home or at school. Students can take advanced math, for example, without having to take a bus to a high school or college and without having to miss other classes at their local school. CTYOnline offers gifted students in grades pre K-12 challenging academic course work throughout the year.
Kahn Academy Khan Academy offers hundreds of free practice exercises and instructional videos for differentiated learning. Their personalized learning dashboard empowers students to study at their own pace in and outside of the classroom. KA tackles math, science, computer programming, history, art history, economics, and more. Their math missions guide learners from kindergarten to calculus using state-of-the-art, adaptive technology that identifies strengths and learning gaps. KA has also partnered with institutions like NASA, Pixar, The College Board, The Museum of Modern Art, The California Academy of Sciences, and MIT to offer specialized content.
Keystone National High School This distance learning program is a self-paced, independent study high school. Courses can be taken by correspondence or online.
Laurel Springs School This distance learning program is an accredited, K-12 independent study program providing a variety of curricular options, trained teachers, college counseling, grades, diplomas, and official transcripts. Using a diverse selection of approved texts and technological resources, we offer families a specialized array of educational programs in a distance-learning environment.
MathOnline – University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (CO) MathOnline allows gifted high school students the opportunity to take college courses, earning transferrable college credit upon successful completion of them. The courses are identical to the traditional courses offered to students on campus. Homework is completed on the same schedule as on-campus students, submitted through email or fax. There is no difference in tuition for in-state or out-of-state students.
Michigan Virtual High School (MVHS) (MI) MVHS doesn’t independently grant diplomas or course credit, but works in cooperation with individual school districts. Through MVHS, Michigan high school students can prepare for high-stakes tests like MEAP and AP Exams, take a variety of courses and learn any place there is a computer and Internet connection. We’re here to help educators prepare our children for a lifetime of using increasingly integrated technology in their work and their lives.
Missouri Virtual Instruction Program (MoVIP) – Missouri State University The Missouri Virtual Instruction Program exists to help small rural schools in Missouri provide rigorous courses for qualified students when these schools cannot find or afford certified/qualified classroom teachers in a particular discipline.
My Ivy Education My Ivy Education is a physical environment; a program that, rather than offering a one-size-fits-all curriculum while leaving students to fend for themselves socially, flips the system by personalizing education for excellence while fostering compassionate social interaction. The program tailors academics to each student’s needs and schedule through challenging academic courses. Students take online classes from leading experts, engaging in world-class education in individualized learning programs ranging from one-on-one study to live sessions in group settings.
NetMath This distance learning program offers only college-level math courses to high school students as well as college students from all over the world. It uses Mathematica, which allows students to truly explore and understand mathematical concepts.
Online and Hybrid Programs at the Center for Talent Development at Northwestern Unlike so-called “click and next” online classes, CTD’s Online Program courses are designed and led by expert instructors who provide personalized guidance, feedback, and one-on-one attention. The CTD Online Program offers a wide variety of enrichment and accelerated courses, flexible pacing, which allows students to fit course work into their busy schedules, and opportunities to collaborate and connect with other advanced learners from around the world.
Online G3 Online G3 nurtures critical and creative thinking in a diverse community of gifted learners by providing a supportive and flexible online learning environment. By pairing passionate teachers with engaging and interactive academic content, G3 offers appropriate acceleration within an accredited, secular, and affordable education program. G3 courses are designed to appeal to gifted learners who crave new challenges and believe that learning should be fun! Classes emphasize critical thinking and teachers encourage children to draw their own connections between ideas.
Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University This website — the Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University — now contains more than 1 Gigabyte of writing-related material, with new material being added almost every month. The web site contains hypertext workshops and subject tutorials on writing research papers, resumes, and cover letters, huge collections of links to help users find information on the Internet, PowerPoint presentations about all aspects of writing that can be downloaded for use in classes or individual study, and a voluminous quantity of web pages that cover all aspects of writing – from cover letters to commas.
Open Yale Courses – Yale University (New Haven, CT) Open Yale Courses provides free and open access to a selection of introductory courses taught by distinguished teachers and scholars at Yale University. The aim of the project is to expand access to educational materials for all who wish to learn. All lectures were recorded in the Yale College classroom and are available in video, audio, and text transcript format. Registration is not required and no course credit is available.
Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School (Midland, PA) This public coeducational charter cyberschool serves students residing in Pennsylvania in grades K-12. Find a custom-made accredited curriculum, self-paced programs, online instruction, dual college courses and support activities to ensure academic success. The PA Cyber is required by the IDEA ’97 to provide a free appropriate public education to school age children who have been identified as gifted and in need of specially designed instruction.
Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School (Norristown, PA) Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School is a coeducational public school in grades K-7 for Pennsylvania students. Students and parents connect to the school, the lessons, assessments, teachers, and each other online. Each student who enrolls in the Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School will be loaned a computer system from the school—including a computer, printer, and other necessary hardware—and an Internet connection. As a public charter school, PAVCS does not charge tuition.
Robinson Center for Young Scholars at University of Washington – Online Program (Seattle, WA) RC Online is a new accelerated learning opportunity designed by the Transition School faculty, to bring an advanced college-prep curriculum to an on-line platform for all high school students.
Scholars Online Scholars Online offers a full college preparatory course curriculum in a classical Christian mold. The rigorous curriculum includes up to seven years of Latin and Greek, and a full range of science, mathematics, literature, and writing instruction.
Sora Schools In this program, Sora uses an individualized, project-based learning approach working 1:1 with students to design projects based around their interests, making it both relevant to their aspirations and the skills they will need to succeed in the workforce. By the end of the program, students are self-directed, thoughtful individuals who are prepared for higher education and their future careers.
Stanford Online High School (OHS) The Stanford Online High School (OHS) is an independent school for academically talented and motivated students in grades seven through 12. Online instruction includes live, synchronous seminars on a college-style class schedule, encouraging independence, discipline and strong time-management skills. The varied needs, interests and exceptional talents of our students are accommodated by the flexibility of Stanford OHS enrollment options, which include full-time, part-time and single course enrollment. Students are supported by counselors, college counselors and academic advisors. A two-week intensive residential summer program at Stanford University presents students with further opportunity to connect with each other and their instructors.
Stanford Pre-Collegiate University-Level Online Math & Physics Stanford Pre-Collegiate University-Level Online Math & Physics courses bring motivated and academically-talented high school students together to allow them to explore their intellectual passions, develop analytic reasoning and creative thinking, and study directly with expert instructors. These online courses are offered throughout the year and give students the opportunity to take a broad offering of math and physics courses not typically offered in secondary schools. Courses in the University-Level Online Math & Physics programs are largely self-paced. All courses carry Stanford University Continuing Studies credit, and students earn a Stanford Continuing Studies transcript. Formerly offered as University-Level EPGY and OHSx online courses at Stanford.
The George Washington University Online High School (Ashburn, VA) The George Washington University Online High School (GWUOHS) is an independent private school for students in grades 9–12 who seek a rigorous yet flexible college preparatory program.
The VHS Collaborative – Gifted & Talented Formerly known as Virtual High School Global Consortium, this organization offers distance learning for gifted middle and high school students.
University College at Texas Tech University – eLearning Texas Tech University offers educational programs to K-12 and college students, professionals and those seeking lifelong learning opportunities. Texas Tech’s distance learning programs enable students to pursue educational goals while providing the flexibility needed to maintain professional and personal commitments.
University of Alabama – Early College/Dual Enrollment (Tuscaloosa, AL) Certain high-school students are allowed to enroll in college-level courses in order to earn credits that apply to both undergraduate degrees and high-school diplomas. Students who have exceptionally high grades and high ACT or SAT scores and who have strong endorsements from their high schools and parents may also be considered for admission without completing the senior year of high school.
University of Missouri Center for Distance & Independent Study’s MU High School (Columbia, MO) The mission of the University of Missouri High School is to provide distance learning courses, through a variety of delivery methods, that will complement traditional high school curricula and provide an accredited diploma program for independent learners of all ages seeking an alternative to traditional high school attendance.
Virtual Advanced Placement School (VAPS) This program designed by Virginia’s Department of Education provides the opportunity for students interested in taking AP classes in schools that do not offer AP courses. Applying distance learning technology, a variety of college-level and foreign language courses are offered.
Virtual Learning Academy Charter School (VLACS) (Exeter, NH) The Virtual Learning Academy Charter School is New Hampshire’s first statewide, online high school that is available, free of charge, to all high school students who live in New Hampshire.
Wisconsin Center for Academically Talented Youth – Growing Early Minds (GEM)
Virtual GEM Winter classes are designed to inspire and engage students in grades 2 through 4. Students will be exposed to concepts and themes that feed their curious minds. Social and emotional curriculum components focus on fostering autonomy, encouraging development of a growth mindset, and developing effective collaboration skills. Virtual GEM Winter classes are open to all interested students.
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