Above-Level Testing in K-12 Schools: Lessons Learned from Talent Search

University-based talent searches, in which students take a challenging, above-level test, have provided rigorous outside-of-school opportunities to academically talented students for decades. Talented young students take a test that was developed for older students, and the test results help educators discover the level of challenge the student needs and develop opportunities to meet those needs. The process of above-level testing and interpretation of the results has been well-established over the past 50 years in university-based talent searches. What has been learned from these programs can be applied in schools to challenge students year-round, rather than for only a short period of time in outside-of-school programs.