Welcome!

The vision of the McDowell County Schools' Gifted Education Program is to provide a challenging and positive learning environment where all students have the opportunity to reach their highest academic and intellectual potential.  We want our students capable of meeting the changing needs of society in the 21st Century and to be equipped with the skills needed to be successful in a globally competitive world.

Academically or Intellectually Gifted students learn more rapidly and have the ability to think with more complexity and abstraction than their peers.  Services for Academically/Intellectually Gifted students must be part of an overall educational program which supports excellence for all students.  We believe in providing a continuum of services in grades kindergarten through twelve which includes a rigorous, relevant and differentiated curriculum designed to meet individual academic, social and emotional needs of students that cross all cultural and economic strata.


Definition of Giftedness

• Academically/Intellectually gifted students perform or show potential at a substantially high level of accomplishment compared with others of their age.
• Academically/Intellectually gifted students exhibit high performance capability in intellectual areas and/or specific academic areas.
• Academically/Intellectually gifted students require differentiated educational services beyond the regular educational program.
• Outstanding abilities are present in students from all cultural groups, across all economic strata, and in all areas of human endeavor.

Procedure to Resolve Disagreements

In the case that the parent(s)/guardian does not agree with McDowell County Schools’ decision that a student not be identified as academically and/or intellectually gifted or if the AIG service(s) offered are not considered by the parent(s)/guardian to be appropriate, you can access procedures to resolve this disagreement under AIG Appendix.