Gifted & Talented Education at AIM

At the Academy for Innovation in Medicine (AIM), we recognize that intellectually advanced and creatively gifted students have unique learning characteristics, interests, and capabilities. Gifted students may demonstrate exceptional intellectual or creative ability, a high degree of motivation, or advanced achievement in specific academic areas.

AIM is committed to providing gifted learners with the challenge, depth, complexity, and opportunities they need to reach their full potential.

Our Approach to Gifted Education

Gifted education at AIM is integrated into our EPIC Learning Model: Experiential, Problem-Based, Individualized Pathways, and Competency-Based Learning.

Gifted students receive differentiated learning experiences designed to go beyond acceleration alone. Students are provided opportunities to:

  • Investigate complex, real-world problems

  • Engage in higher-order thinking, reasoning, and inquiry

  • Explore topics with greater depth and complexity

  • Work independently and collaboratively with intellectual peers

  • Apply learning across multiple academic disciplines

  • Develop creativity, leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills

  • Participate in advanced healthcare, STEMM, public health, and interdisciplinary learning experiences

Through AIM's healthcare-focused curriculum, gifted students are encouraged to think like researchers, clinicians, innovators, and problem-solvers while extending and enriching the Georgia Standards of Excellence.

Gifted Identification and Evaluation Process

AIM conducts screening of enrolled students to identify students who may benefit from gifted education services. Multiple measures are considered during the referral and eligibility process.

First Look Screening

First Look Screening is designed for students who do not have current gifted eligibility or recent gifted testing data.

Students may be identified for additional consideration through:

Automatic Screening
AIM reviews available student achievement data, including MAP Growth assessments and Georgia Milestones EOG/EOC results, to identify students demonstrating advanced academic performance.

Teacher Referral and Screening
Teachers may recommend students for further evaluation based on classroom performance and observed characteristics of gifted learners. Teachers may complete the Traits, Aptitudes, and Behaviors (TABs) instrument or other approved screening measures.

Parent/Guardian Referral
Parents and guardians may also refer their child for consideration for gifted evaluation by completing AIM's Gifted Parent Referral Form during the annual referral window.

Identification is based on multiple sources of information and is not determined by a single test score, classroom grade, or referral.

Second Look Screening

Students who have previously participated in gifted testing but were not found eligible may be considered through AIM's Second Look process when current data suggest that additional evaluation may be appropriate.

AIM's gifted eligibility team reviews available assessment results, academic performance, teacher observations, and other relevant information to determine whether additional or alternative assessments should be administered.

Parent and Guardian Involvement

Parents and guardians are important partners in the gifted identification process.

AIM's annual parent referral window is held in September. Families who believe their child demonstrates characteristics of giftedness may submit a referral during this period.

Requests received after the referral window may be considered during the following school year's identification cycle, unless an exception is required under applicable law or state guidance.

Parents will be notified when their child is referred for formal evaluation and will receive information regarding the evaluation and eligibility process.

Gifted Services at AIM

Identification is only the beginning. AIM's goal is to ensure gifted students experience meaningful academic challenge throughout their educational experience.

Gifted services may include differentiated instruction, advanced content, flexible grouping, interdisciplinary problem-based learning, independent inquiry, advanced coursework, enrichment opportunities, and other instructional approaches appropriate to the student's needs and grade level.

Because AIM specializes in STEMM and healthcare education, gifted learners also have opportunities to apply advanced thinking to authentic topics such as medicine, biomedical science, public health, health equity, epidemiology, healthcare innovation, and other real-world challenges.

Questions or Referrals

For questions about AIM's Gifted & Talented Education Program, the screening and eligibility process, or submitting a parent referral, please contact info@aimgeorgia.org.