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Advanced Academics

The Advanced Academics Department manages services for gifted/talented and high ability students. Our services offer students the opportunity to engage in learning with greater depth, complexity, and rigor through differentiated curriculum and instruction. Coursework is extended beyond the general education classroom to develop critical and creative thinking. Classes are taught by certified teachers who have received or are receiving a Gifted and Talented Education Endorsement. The Advanced Academics Department serves gifted/talented and high ability students in elementary schools with two service models, full-day Magnet Gifted & Talented and part-time Advanced Academics and Mentoring Program (AAMP).  Middle school Magnet serves students in up to four core subjects including language arts, science, social studies and mathematics.  
      G/T Services for 2025-2026
      G/T Services for 2025-2026 (Spanish)

Online application for January 2027 testing will open on September 14, 2026 and close on December 11, 2026.  LINK TO COME.  

To add your name to the Advanced Academics Department newletter mailing list, click on this link and follow directions.  LINK TO NEWSLETTER PAGE

Advanced Academics
406 East 100 South
Salt Lake City, Utah 84111

801.578.8573

Elementary Magnet Gifted & Talented (full day at four area Magnet elementary schools)

  • Magnet serves students in a full day program at four schools, taught by certified teachers who have received or are receiving a Gifted and Talented Education Endorsement.
  • Students are found eligible for Magnet through an assessment process.
  • Magnet Gifted and Talented classes begin in 1st grade. 
  • Gradewide testing for current kindergarten and 3rd grade students attending a SLCSD school (not including the Open Classroom) takes place after winter break of their kindergarten or 3rd grade year at their school.  No sign up is needed.
  • Opt-In testing for current kindergarten and 3rd grade students not attending a SLCSD school (including the Open Classroom), takes place in January of their kindergarten or 3rd grade year.  Parent must complete the online application in order for student to test.  Online application opens in mid September and closes in mid December for testing in January.  Click LINK TO COME for January 2027 testing.  
  • Magnet eligible students attend the area Magnet school determined by their neighborhood school.  In the case of Magnet eligible out-of-district students, the Advanced Academics Supervisor places students based on clasroom balance.  

 

Elementary Magnet Gifted and Talented Locations for 2026-2027:

  • Edison Elementary (1st-6th Grades)
  • Indian Hills Elementary (1st–6th Grades)
  • Nibley Park Elementary (3rd-6th Grades, Magnet/DLI)
  • Whittier Elementary (1st-6th Grades)

 
Middle School Magnet Gifted & Talented (three middle school programs)

  • Middle school students have two opportunities for advanced classes:
    • Honors (which is now combined with neighborhood ELP, and students can self-select into).
    • Magnet (which students need to test into).
  • Magnet serves students in up to four core subjects at Clayton Middle School, Hillside Middle School, and West High School. Core subjects include language arts, science, social studies and mathematics.  
  • Students are found eligible for Middle School Magnet through an assessment process.
  • Testing for current 6th & 7th grade students takes place in January of their 6th or 7th grade year for possible middle school Magnet placement.  Parent must complete the online application in order for student to test.  Online application opens in mid September and closes in mid December for testing in January.  Click LINK TO COME for January 2027 testing.  


Middle School Magnet Gifted and Talented Locations:

  • Clayton Middle School
  • Hillside Middle School
  • West High School

ELEMENTARY AAMP (part-time pulout program at most elementary schools)

Vision, Mission, and Guiding Concepts

Mision, Vision y Conceptos rectores del Programa Avanzado Academico

 

ALL elementary schools (with the exception of the Open Classroom) have AAMP services.  

  1. AAMP serves students in a pull-out program in grades 4-6 in a student’s neighborhood elementary school for up to 3
    hours per week.
  2. Students are found eligible for AAMP through an assessment process.

 

DISCOVERY GROUPS

Discovery 3rd Grade Guidlines:  Coming Soon!

  1. Discovery Groups offer part time enrichment for skill development in grades K-3.
  2. Each elementary school schedules their Discovery Groups differently.
  3. For more information, reach out to the AAMP teacher at your neighborhood school. 

 

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Middle School honors classes are housed at Clayton, Glendale, Hillside and Northwest.

  1. Middle school students can self-select into Honors advanced classes, no assessment is required.  Though not a Magnet class, Honors advanced classes are still more rigorous and advanced than general education classes. 
  2. Honors advanced classes are offered in up to four core subjects.  These include language arts, science, social studies and mathematics.  In these classes, students perform at an accelerated pace with complex and in-depth content.  

If your child:

  • displays advanced thinking skills.
  • demonstrates knowledge of many different things.
  • quickly sees why things happen and what causes them to happen.
  • understands new ideas or subjects with little effort.
  • shows a great deal of curiosity.
  • sees and creates patterns in areas such as speech, art, music, numbers and nature.
  • continues to work on a project regardless of time or space limitations.
  • obsesses in an interest area.
  • insists on perfection.
  • recognizes the humor in different situations.
  • makes connections.
  • perceives and observes beyond his/her years.
  • approaches ideas and problems from a number of perspectives
  • Elementary Magnet Gifted & Talented (full day at four area Magnet elementary schools)

    • Magnet serves students in a full day program at four schools, taught by certified teachers who have received or are receiving a Gifted and Talented Education Endorsement.
    • Students are found eligible for Magnet through an assessment process.
    • Magnet Gifted and Talented classes begin in 1st grade. 
    • Gradewide testing for current kindergarten and 3rd grade students attending a SLCSD school (not including the Open Classroom) takes place after winter break of their kindergarten or 3rd grade year at their school.  No sign up is needed.
    • Opt-In testing for current kindergarten and 3rd grade students not attending a SLCSD school (including the Open Classroom), takes place in January of their kindergarten or 3rd grade year.  Parent must complete the online application in order for student to test.  Online application opens in mid September and closes in mid December for testing in January.  Click LINK TO COME for January 2027 testing.  
    • Magnet eligible students attend the area Magnet school determined by their neighborhood school.  In the case of Magnet eligible out-of-district students, the Advanced Academics Supervisor places students based on clasroom balance.  

     

    Elementary Magnet Gifted and Talented Locations for 2026-2027:

    • Edison Elementary (1st-6th Grades)
    • Indian Hills Elementary (1st–6th Grades)
    • Nibley Park Elementary (3rd-6th Grades, Magnet/DLI)
    • Whittier Elementary (1st-6th Grades)

     
    Middle School Magnet Gifted & Talented (three middle school programs)

    • Middle school students have two opportunities for advanced classes:
      • Honors (which is now combined with neighborhood ELP, and students can self-select into).
      • Magnet (which students need to test into).
    • Magnet serves students in up to four core subjects at Clayton Middle School, Hillside Middle School, and West High School. Core subjects include language arts, science, social studies and mathematics.  
    • Students are found eligible for Middle School Magnet through an assessment process.
    • Testing for current 6th & 7th grade students takes place in January of their 6th or 7th grade year for possible middle school Magnet placement.  Parent must complete the online application in order for student to test.  Online application opens in mid September and closes in mid December for testing in January.  Click LINK TO COME for January 2027 testing.  


    Middle School Magnet Gifted and Talented Locations:

    • Clayton Middle School
    • Hillside Middle School
    • West High School
  • ELEMENTARY AAMP (part-time pulout program at most elementary schools)

    Vision, Mission, and Guiding Concepts

    Mision, Vision y Conceptos rectores del Programa Avanzado Academico

     

    ALL elementary schools (with the exception of the Open Classroom) have AAMP services.  

    1. AAMP serves students in a pull-out program in grades 4-6 in a student’s neighborhood elementary school for up to 3
      hours per week.
    2. Students are found eligible for AAMP through an assessment process.

     

    DISCOVERY GROUPS

    Discovery 3rd Grade Guidlines:  Coming Soon!

    1. Discovery Groups offer part time enrichment for skill development in grades K-3.
    2. Each elementary school schedules their Discovery Groups differently.
    3. For more information, reach out to the AAMP teacher at your neighborhood school. 

     

    MIDDLE SCHOOL

    Middle School honors classes are housed at Clayton, Glendale, Hillside and Northwest.

    1. Middle school students can self-select into Honors advanced classes, no assessment is required.  Though not a Magnet class, Honors advanced classes are still more rigorous and advanced than general education classes. 
    2. Honors advanced classes are offered in up to four core subjects.  These include language arts, science, social studies and mathematics.  In these classes, students perform at an accelerated pace with complex and in-depth content.  
  • If your child:

    • displays advanced thinking skills.
    • demonstrates knowledge of many different things.
    • quickly sees why things happen and what causes them to happen.
    • understands new ideas or subjects with little effort.
    • shows a great deal of curiosity.
    • sees and creates patterns in areas such as speech, art, music, numbers and nature.
    • continues to work on a project regardless of time or space limitations.
    • obsesses in an interest area.
    • insists on perfection.
    • recognizes the humor in different situations.
    • makes connections.
    • perceives and observes beyond his/her years.
    • approaches ideas and problems from a number of perspectives