Frequently Asked Questions about Our Gifted School: FAQ's For School Administrators
The National Academy for the Gifted FAQs For School Administrators
Specialized Curriculum | Differentiated Instruction | Admissions and Application | Attendance and Graduation | Tuition and Fees | Technology
The Academy:
Why Choose The National Academy for the Gifted?
The National Academy for the Gifted offers gifted school students an interactive learning experience tailor made for students who strive to reach high expectations. We offer the expertise of teachers and a place where gifted school students can thrive. With The National Academy for the Gifted, your students will be able to learn through differentiated instruction at their own pace with a world-class curriculum that meets their unique needs.
Is The National Academy for the Gifted an accredited program?
Yes. The National Academy for the Gifted is fully accredited by the National Private Schools Accreditation Alliance. We are registered in the state of Florida as an accredited online private school. We require that gifted school students meet attendance requirements and the completion of all assignments before of the last day of the school year. Our home education software compiles all necessary documentation and records that you need to show local school officials that your child is attending a legitimate gifted school.
How is TNAG’s program different from other schools?
The National Academy for the Gifted focuses on the individual needs of our students, and utilizes differential teaching techniques to do so. Learning opportunities focus on higher order and critical thinking skills, community engagement, personal development and responsibility, and content mastery. Our curriculum is designed to allow for flexibility in the pace and depth of learning possibilities.
Do you have any IQ standards?
We do require IQ test scores for admission, but they are not the sole basis for acceptance into our school. We take numerous factors into account because no one test can adequately determine a person’s abilities.
Do you honor IEPs?
If your student has been assigned an Individualized Education Program (IEP), you may include this in their application. We take IEPs into account when instructing and advising your student, but cannot guarantee to fill another school’s IEP.
What kind of records does The National Academy for the Gifted keep?
Our gifted education program automatically keeps track of gifted school students’ grades, online lessons, field trips, and more. Parents can access these records at any time during the school year, upon graduation, and when transferring schools.
When is school in session?
Lessons are assigned from the Monday after Labor Day through the middle of May. Access if granted through the end of June. Our Summer Programs take place in July and August.
Do students learn on their own or with other students?
TNAG believes that learning happens everywhere – on the computer with our curriculum, at home with the family, and at karate class. Our curriculum is designed to supply individual learners with avenues to explore their personal interests and abilities, but can easily be modified for group settings.
Do you give homework to your students?
No. Our learning modules are all-inclusive, containing practice exercises and content reinforcement at the end of each lesson. These practice exercises are an extension of prior discoveries and interactions gained from other lessons activities, such as videos, PowerPoint presentations, or web adventures. All activities within our learning modules aid students in applying information and skills for mastery. The Academy staff is available to guide students in all aspects of their learning.
Do Academy students receive support and guidance to manage their unique psychological and emotional needs?
Yes. A component of the learning community at The National Academy for the Gifted is based on exploring, discussing and supporting the social and emotional needs of students. We have Academic Advisors who have been trained in these areas, and are available daily to guide and support the students. We believe in consistent communication between our Academic Advisors and the parent school faculty and staff.
Specialized Curriculum:
How does your curriculum cater to gifted children?
Our curriculum was designed for gifted children to be able to complete their studies as quickly or as slowly as needed. There’s nothing more frustrating to a gifted child than being forced to learn at someone else’s pace. Our curriculum is highly individualized, meaning that every child’s learning experience is different. We offer an extensive array of electives like Culinary Arts and Web Design that gifted students can use to fuel their passions. . We also offer 9-week, 18-week, and 36-week course options to ensure that students have multiple options to meet their needs and interests. To learn more about our gifted school curriculum, visit our Gifted Education Curriculum page.
What curriculum does The National Academy for the Gifted use?
Because our gifted school curriculum needs are so advanced, we found that no company could keep up with our technology. As a result, we decided to design our own accelerated education curriculum! Our Curriculum Developers are educational experts with specific subject matter expertise dedicated to providing a quality academic experience for our gifted school students.
What is included in the curriculum?
Our curriculum is an engaging, technology-driven, multimedia array that includes online gifted school assignments, interactive learning projects, videos, audio, traditional textbooks and workbooks, eBooks, CD-ROMs and more. We also include access to our gifted school teachers and Social Center, an online place for students to socialize with other classmates.
In rare instances, parents will need to purchase or borrow some curriculum materials. In these cases, materials are clearly noted in our course descriptions.
Can I access a sample of your lessons to determine for myself whether they’d be appropriate for my gifted student?
You can access a demonstration of our courses at our Gifted School Demonstration page. While not all the features are enabled in this demo, it should give you a general understanding of what how our gifted program works.
Can the curriculum be printed out?
Most of The National Academy for the Gifted curriculum can be printed out for completion or study. Some gifted school students find it difficult to view material on a computer screen for long periods of time. We invite gifted school parents to accommodate this need by printing out our online material, however, you are not permitted to distribute our gifted school curriculum materials to anyone not enrolled in our gifted school.
What kinds of evaluations and assessments does the curriculum have?
We provide frequent tests and quizzes to make sure that your gifted student is on track. The Academy also provides research assignments and long-term projects in order to prepare students for college. Our gifted education software keeps track of every student’s progress throughout the year in terms of time logged into courses and grades. Our gifted school teachers are happy to speak with your school administrators about the student’s progress with us, as well.
What creative outlets does your curriculum offer my child?
Our gifted school curriculum is full of interactive learning adventures that your gifted student will love. Our learning modules are filled with creative projects, from creating PowerPoints to writing poems to paining a picture. Our diverse course selection allows students to choose courses innate with creativity, such as our Art and Music courses. We also have plenty of engaging electives to choose from that cover such interesting subjects as Crime Scene Investigation and Psychology.
What kind of enrichment activities can we expect to encounter?
There are all kinds of enriching activities in our gifted program! Instead of just learning who Christopher Columbus was, your child will watch a dramatic retelling of his voyage to the New World. Our offline materials include supplemental science experiments, online scavenger hunts, nature observations, and countless other engaging activities.
What opportunities are available for my child to work outside of the typical class work?
Our curriculum features field trips and encourages extra-curricular activities. We believe that gifted education should not be limited to the classroom. Students will take a trip to the local library, study plant life at a local park, visit area history museums, and more! The National Academy for the Gifted’s students become lifelong learners that see opportunities to learn anywhere and everywhere. The Academy offers instructional time credit for all outside educational activities.
Differentiated Instruction:
How will our students be taught?
Our gifted school students are primarily taught with online multimedia home education course material. Each school day, gifted school students sign into our website to complete their online learning modules. We also provide offline material such as CDs, textbooks, workbooks, video, audio, and more that supplement the online learning materials.
We also give administrators the option of utilizing our teacher support. If administrators choose to use our teachers, they will provide your student with individualized attention so that they are sure to succeed.
How many days of instruction can my child receive?
Students in our gifted school program have 180 days of access to teacher assistance and 300 days of unlimited access to our home education curriculum. Teachers can be reached Monday-Friday from 9am to 5pm EST. You can also reach them through e-mail at MemberServices@TtheNationalAcademyForTheGifted.org at any time. If administrators choose not to use our teachers, then they take on the responsibility of instructing the student.
How can I make sure that my students are completing assignments?
School administrators can use our online progress reports to find out how much time their students have put into the online courses, as well as grades for completed assignments.
What about cheating?
Our gifted school uses a variety of methods to curb cheating. We often randomize our tests and quizzes to prevent gifted school students from copying one another’s answers. We also have advanced plagiarism detection software. Our gifted school takes cheating seriously and is prepared to punish offenders accordingly.
Admissions and Application:
What criteria are used to determine admission into The National Academy of the Gifted?
The National Academy for the Gifted must ensure that admitted students can succeed within the rigorous curriculum and the unique style of learning that our academy offers. Prospective students go through a comprehensive application procedure. In the evaluation of applicants, TNAG considers:
- Giftedness Profile
- Student Work Samples
- IQ Test Scores
- Standardized State Test Scores
- Standardized National Test Scores
- PSAT, SAT, ACT or SSATB Test Scores
- Parent Essay
- Student Essay
- Parent Interview
- Student Interview
- 2 Recommendations
- Previous Gifted Program Admission Verification
- Previous IEPs
- Any other Evaluations that can shed insight into the student’s abilities
We require at least 5 of the above criteria to be submitted during application.
We desire to admit students who will benefit from our academy and who will meet the demands of our learning environment.
How do I apply?
- Go to http://www.thenationalacademyforthegifted.org/gifted_program_admissions.html and read the Admissions Details.
- Print out the Paper Application from https://www.thenationalacademyforthegifted.org/parent/application/application.php
- Fill out the application for each student and send it to us, along with all of the requested supporting documentation.
- Wait for our Admission Committee’s decision within 1 week via phone and mail.
- If accepted, you will be sent a link to provide us with your student’s official enrollment information.
- Pay the up front fees.
- Choose the student’s courses.
- We will then send out the supplemental curriculum materials via UPS within 2-4 business days.
- Login to school in September and enjoy our gifted program!
TNAG accepts applications and evaluates them on a rolling basis. We may contact administrators to provide additional supporting documentation for certain students.
Will I be notified whether I’m accepted or not?
Once a decision has been made, administrators will be contacted by phone and mailed letter with the Admission Committee’s decision.
Is there an age requirement to apply to The National Academy for the Gifted?
Absolutely not! Giftedness occurs at all ages and if your student can prove to handle our gifted program, you should apply for admission.
Do TNAG students have to live in Florida? Does TNAG accept international students or American students living overseas?
TNAG welcomes all American students. Students can live in any state or country, as long as they are American citizens. We apologize for our inability to accept international students.
How long does the application process take?
It can take up to 5 business days from the receipt of your application materials to for us to register and process your application. We will contact you with the Admission Committee’s decision. Administrators with accepted students will then be able to complete our enrollment information page and choose the student’s courses. We will then ship your gifted school curriculum in 2-4 business days. We encourage administrators to apply as early as possible in the summer to make sure that all gifted school curricula is delivered before the start of the academic year.
I have a twice-exceptional student. Can s/he attend this school?
Of course! Many gifted children also have learning differences in different subject areas. Our curriculum is designed to allow accelerated learners and students who need more time to focus on difficult subjects to work at their own pace. In doing so, students can make sure they comprehend the material before moving on to the next lesson. The child’s learning experience is directly related to his/her learning abilities. You won’t find this feature at a traditional gifted school!
How do you decide the appropriate grade placement for my student?
We believe that this decision is best left the parent school faculty and staff. You’ll select courses that you feel are appropriate to your gifted school student’s abilities. Our grade levels are based on national averages for different age groups. Feel free to use these as suggestions, not rules. If you would prefer to enroll your gifted school student in 5th grade Math and 7th grade Science, that’s just fine! All children grasp different concepts at different levels and speeds.
What is the minimum number of courses my student can take?
The National Academy for the Gifted students can choose an unlimited amount of gifted school courses for a full-time program or as few as one gifted school course for a supplement to an existing education program.
Can my child select courses from different grade levels?
Absolutely! Our accelerated education curriculum is highly flexible. If you have a student that excels in Math but struggles with Language Arts, we invite you to choose different grade levels for those courses. Perhaps enrolling in 8th grade Math and 6th grade Language Arts is a good solution. The choice is yours.
How do I select courses?
Once you find out if your student has been accepted into The National Academy for the Gifted, we will send you to link to our Academy Enrollment Page. Fill in the appropriate administrator and student information and then pay the up front fees. Once we receive initial payment, you can then login and choose courses. Academy Member Services can be contacted by phone to help you with this process.
Can I change a course once I have registered?
If you feel that your student can handle more difficult coursework, you can easily switch to a higher-level gifted school course. Similarly, if you think that a lower grade-level course would be more appropriate, you can also downgrade. There are no extra fees for the first 30 days of enrollment. Consider this a “trail period” to determine where your student best fits into our gifted school.
When will we receive our materials?
Schools will receive their gifted school materials before the beginning of the academic year. We ask that administrators make their orders as early as possible to ensure that their materials are received in time. Some elements of our gifted education curriculum are not needed until later in the academic year and will be shipped when needed.
What if I find that The National Academy for the Gifted isn’t a good fit for my child?
The National Academy for the Gifted isn’t for everyone. We offer a 30-day period during which you can decide if you’d like your student to continue his/her education with The National Academy for the Gifted. If you choose to withdraw from our gifted school, you will not be billed for the entire year’s tuition, just the first month, registration fee, and shipping & handling.
Attendance and Graduation:
What are The National Academy for the Gifted’s graduation requirements?
To be eligible for a diploma from The National Academy for the Gifted, students must have completed at least 23 credits of high school instruction, with at least 6 of those credits completed with TNAG. Students must also be enrolled at least half-time during their final year of study and must use our teachers.
Do graduates from The National Academy for the Gifted achieve a diploma?
Students who meet our gifted school’s graduation requirements will receive an official High School Diploma. To find out more about your student can graduate with a gifted school diploma, view our Graduation Requirements. Please note that only students who choose the teacher-supported option are eligible for graduation from our Academy.
Can my student transfer courses completed elsewhere TNAG? How are credit transfers evaluated?
Students can apply to receive credit for coursework completed at other institutions. The National Academy for the Gifted will evaluate requests to transfer credit on a case-by-case basis.
How does my student transfer courses taken at TNAG back to my school?
Transcripts of work completed at The National Academy for the Gifted can be requested for a $38 fee. The Registrar’s Office will help students coordinate the transferring of credit from the TNAG to their local schools.
Is there an age required for graduation?
No. If a student fulfills graduation requirements, they can graduate regardless of their age.
Do students need to be enrolled full-time at TNAG?
TNAG students have the choice of enrolling as either a full or part time student. Full time students take from 6-8 credits per year, while part time students take .025-5 credits per year. TNAG typically has numerous students that pursue joint enrollment options, taking some of their courses at their local school and the rest at The National Academy for the Gifted.
How much time should my student invest in school work?
In a full-time program, we suggest that gifted school students spend 2-4 hours per day completing their daily learning modules. Offline assignments determined by the parent school can comprise the rest of the school day. We offer over 100 days of online coursework with a total of 300 days to complete all gifted school assignments for the year.
What are your attendance requirements?
There are 36 weeks of school, divided into 4 nine-week quarters. Specific attendance requirements for full-time students are:
- 900 hours and 170 days, or 180 days, for gifted school students in grades 4-12
- 720 hours and 170 days, or 180 days, for gifted school students in grades 1-3
- 540 hours and 170 days, or 180 days, for Kindergarten gifted school students.
There’s more to a gifted education than online coursework. You can add hours of gifted school study from a field trip or extra-curricular activity via our Extracurricular Activities log. The world is your home education classroom with The National Academy for the Gifted!
Tuition and Fees:
What is the tuition for attending The National Academy for the Gifted?
Tuition for a full-time registered student at The National Academy for the Gifted for the 2008 academic year is $5995. All TNAG students are eligible to receive a $1000 scholarship. Part time students pay per course:
- Individual 36-week courses are $1125.00
- Individual 18-week courses are $562.50
- Individual 9-week courses are $281.25
All part time students are eligible to receive a scholarship of $200 per 36-week course, $100 per 18-week course, and $50 per 9-week course.
What is the tuition TNAG’s Summer Program?
The tuition for TNAG’s summer program is $$$$ per course.
Are there any additional fees?
The National Academy for the Gifted charges a $19.95 Shipping/Handling fee as well as a one-time Registration Fee of $29.95. This is a one-time fee that covers all courses purchased per student per year.
What is the cost of curriculum materials?
Our accelerated education courses include up to 36 weeks of daily learning modules. Offline curriculum materials such as books, workbooks, video CDs, and software vary per course. When you select courses, the price of these materials is dictated for you BEFORE you decide to enroll in that course. Most courses do not exceed $100 in offline materials costs.
Do you offer scholarships or financial aid?
The National Academy for the Gifted is proud to offer scholarships for many of our students. There is no application for the scholarship, as the application to the school serves this purpose. Exceptional applicants will receive the scholarship. Email notifications will be sent to the parent school with an announcement of all scholarship winners.
Learn more at our Gifted School Scholarships page.
In addition to the scholarships, TNAG offers payment plans to help manage the burden of tuition.
How do I remit my application/registration fee?
Application /registration fees can be paid by check, money order, Visa or MasterCard online.
To remit with a check or money order simply, mail to:
That National Academy for the Gifted
Payment Processing
c/o 10 Shurs Lane, Suite 202
Philadelphia , PA 19127
To pay with a charge card:
Browse to your Admin Page and enter with your unique username and password. Then click "Make a Payment". Our online payment form is a secure and encrypted payment tool. You can also make a payment by phone by calling 1-866-9-LEARN-9.
What is your refund policy?
Parent schools have 30 days from the first student log on in which to determine if our gifted program suits the needs of their student(s). Refunds will be granted according to the following standards as long as the school disenrolls via e-mail or other written notice AND via telephone. Both written and telephone notices are required for disenrollment completion, and refunds may not be offered until both notices are given. The gifted school refund does not include fees such as Shipping & Handling, Application or Enrollment fees and Miscellaneous and/or curriculum and/or CD and/or Multi-Media fees. If we are unable to accept a student into our gifted program, a full refund will be given including the above gifted school fees.
Gifted program tuition fees may be refundable according to the following schedule:
Disenrollment within 30 days of enrollment:
If entire yearly gifted school tuition has been paid in full at the time of registration, the parent school will receive a refund of their entire tuition payment minus 25%. If installment plan payments were agreed to at the time of registration and have been paid according to the agreement, all tuition paid minus the first installment payment will be refunded. If the student is enrolled in additional courses beyond the 6 covered by tuition, and the student disenrolls from an additional course within 30 days of the student’s first day of attendance, the student will receive a refund of 75% of the additional course fee. The refund does not apply to curriculum materials, gifted program CD Usage Fees or any other fees necessary for enrollment in the additional courses.
Disenrollment after 30 days of enrollment date:
After 30 days, all yearly gifted school tuition fees are due and payable. No refunds are available on gifted school tuition, curriculum materials, CD Usage Fees or any other fees. If the student is enrolled in additional courses beyond the 6 covered by tuition, and the student disenrolls from an additional course after 30 days of the student’s first day of attendance, no gifted school refunds are available on tuition, curriculum materials, CD Usage Fees or any other gifted program fees.
Technology:
Does my student need to know how to type?
The ability to type is not essential for our education program, but it is definitely something we encourage. Our gifted school program reinforces typing skills, and we even offer a free typing tutorial to all enrolled students! In today’s technology-driven economy, it’s important for gifted school students to learn this skill.
Can my older computer run the software?
The National Academy for the Gifted supports the following minimum system requirements:
- Pentium III processor
- 64MB RAM
- 6 GB hard drive
- CD-ROM drive
- 56k “dialup” modem
We do not guarantee Macintosh compatibility, however several of our gifted school students have successfully used Macs.
Does each student need to use his or her own computer?
No, gifted school students can easily share a computer as long as they log in and out appropriately so different student accounts are not confused. It is more important for middle and high school students to have their own computers for their gifted education than it is for elementary students.
Why can’t my computer process PDF files?
You’ll need to download the free Adobe Acrobat reader. Follow the instructions found at the Adobe website to view PDF documents.