About Us
Since 1979, the Gifted Development Center (GDC) has served as a global leader in the assessment and development of gifted individuals of all ages. We support giftedness throughout the lifespan. Through our work, we have changed the lives of over 6,000 children and their families worldwide. We also build awareness and understanding of giftedness, through research, advocacy and development of national policy.
Our philosophy is child-centered: we put your child first. We focus on understanding your child’s inner world (over-excitabilities, emotions, perceptions, relationships, personality, etc.), rather than on his or her potential for success. We see giftedness as a pervasive way of being in the world.
We provide assessment, advocacy, counseling, books, articles, access to the Advanced Development Journal, and a Speakers’ Bureau to educate the public about the needs of gifted children and adults.
We Change Lives
Assessment
Our process starts with your completion of the GDC forms, which give you deep insights into your child. You will then have a consultation with a senior staff member to determine what assessments would be best for your child. When you come to GDC, you will receive a comprehensive assessment and an extensive post-consultation to evaluate the next steps.
Advocacy
We help parents and families of gifted children understand their legal rights to services within K-12 education, plan for the needs of twice-exceptional and highly gifted children and choose the appropriate educational setting. We also provide resources to develop advocacy skills.
Scholarly Contributions
Gifted Development Center is the service arm of the Institute for the Study of Advanced Development (ISAD). The research curated by ISAD is a pillar of the knowledge of giftedness. ISAD publishes the only journal on adult giftedness: Advanced Development. You can join our community of scholars and review the publications of Advanced Development here.
Imagine a place where it’s safe to be gifted…
Imagine a place where you can bring your child for assessment and the examiner takes great joy in each of your child’s successes…
Imagine coming to learn about your child and discovering your own giftedness in the process…
Imagine a place where you and a team of experts will co-create an Optimal Learning Plan for your child…
Imagine a place where you and your child feel seen, and you are encouraged to be who you were meant to be…
Imagine a place where a team on the cutting edge of theory and research weave all the intricate complexities of your child into a beautiful tapestry…
Imagine receiving a comprehensive, personalized report that will serve as a blueprint for your child’s education for years to come…
Imagine a place where your expertise about your child is taken seriously, and you call the staff by their first names….
Imagine coming to the source of leading theories on giftedness: asynchrony, visual-spatial learners, overexcitabilities etc.
Imagine a place where it is safe to talk about the spiritual experiences of your child…
Imagine a place where your perfectionism, intensity, passion for justice, imagination and sensitivity are reframed as indicators of your giftedness…
Imagine working with a team who looks at all issues through the lens of giftedness…
Imagine a knowledgeable team passionate about the needs of your child and there for you whenever you need them…