The state of Tennessee will collaborate with the National Association for Gifted Children in launching a novel program of high-quality and outcome-oriented professional development designed to increase equity and access to gifted programming for the state’s teachers.

The NAGC Micro-Credentials program was developed over the past year-plus to fill a sizeable gap in accessible professional development content to help educators better identify high-potential students from diverse backgrounds and to meet their unique learning needs. By providing affordable, accessible, and outcome-oriented content from experts in the field, NAGC Micro-Credentials are designed to help classroom teachers develop and master skills to effectively work with gifted children.

Gifted children living in poverty and from ethnic and language minority groups are 250% less likely to be identified for, and served in, gifted programs in their schools, even when they achieve at the same level as their more affluent identified peers.

“Years of survey data have told us that a gap exists in terms of the number of teachers who are adequately prepared and trained to work with gifted children and the needs of those children,” said M. René Islas, NAGC Executive Director. “Few states require any such pre-service preparation or ongoing training, resulting in a teacher population that is largely unprepared to appropriately educate these students.”

“The NAGC Micro-Credentials enable teachers to learn by doing and focuses on mastery of content and not the amount of time spent in a seat,” Islas added. “The SEE ME! (Identification) micro-credential will help educators develop the knowledge and skills to demonstrate the ability to recognize indicators of giftedness in students in traditionally underrepresented populations.”

Under the new NAGC Micro-Credentials program, participants organized in cohorts will receive online content designed by NAGC experts and leaders who will provide coaching and feedback to participants, as well as will confirm mastery of the skill being taught. Successful participants will earn an online badge that certifies such mastery. 

NAGC will launch the first in a series of four NAGC Micro-Credentials in Tennessee on Tuesday, April 3. More than 50 educators from around the state will participate. 

BloomBoard, the leading providers of competency-based professional learning, supports the new NAGC Micro-Credentials with a platform that allows accessible, high-quality, and outcome-oriented professional development.

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The National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) is a membership organization whose mission is to support those who enhance the growth and development of gifted and talented children through education, advocacy, community building, and research. 

CONTACT:  Cathleen Healy, chealy@nagc.org/202-365-4636

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