Blueprint for Brilliance: Building a Foundation for Gifted Students, the MAGC annual conference will be held on Saturday, April 18, 2026 from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Register now! Keynote titled “Making Today’s Classrooms Work for Gifted Learners” will be given by Dina Brulles plus many more talks by a wide range of experts. 

Register here for this important educational course!

Twice Exceptional Learners: Precocious and Perplexing (USGL)

In this course, we examine gifted children with learning disabilities. The difficulties with identifying this population will be explored. We will examine the typical characteristics of 2e students and common patterns in test scores. Then, we will discuss strategies for supporting twice-exceptional students. Strategies mentioned in this course can help all students, but are specifically beneficial to gifted students.

To be eligible for this scholarship, applicants must be nominated by a current MAGC member (parent, teacher, family friend, etc.). You can also become an MAGC member in order to sponsor someone. Membership is only $40 per year, and you can join online using the Membership Application. Membership status will be verified prior to award announcements. Winners must agree to submit verification that the scholarship money was used as planned, as well as a short review of the summer experience for possible publication in the MAGC newsletter.

The online application will be available from now until the deadline of 11:59 p.m., Saturday, March 1, 2025. Applications must be received online by the deadline to be considered for an award. There are no exceptions to this due date. Scholarship recipients will be notified by Tuesday, April 1, 2025. To apply, go directly to the scholarship application form.

This award recognizes truly outstanding educators who have or are making exceptional contributions to gifted education in the state of Michigan. This is the highest award offered by the Michigan Association for Gifted Children (MAGC).

You can find the online nomination form at Lifetime Achievement Award Nominations.

 The deadline for nominations is March 1, 2024. Winners will be announced at the Spring Conference.

Who are gifted learners? In this free online series, Understanding and Supporting Gifted Learners (USGL), we will introduce you to the gifted learner and their characteristics, as well as discuss the academic and social-emotional needs that impact their educational experience and growth. The courses in this series will explore the gifted learners’ social/emotional characteristics, the underrepresentation of non-dominant cultures, the underachievement of gifted students, twice-exceptional learners, instructional strategies, academic acceleration options, and identification and instruction through data-driven analysis. SCECHs are available.

Module listing:

GT #1 Module: Introduction to Gifted Learners – 15 minutes

GT #2 Module: Characteristics of Gifted/Advanced Learners – 60 minutes

GT #3 Module:  Social and Emotional Needs of Gifted/Advanced Learners – 75 minutes

GT #4 Module: Inclusive Identification of Gifted Learners – 45 minutes

The four (4) main goals of the MI GT CNA (Comprehensive Needs Assessment) document are as follows:

1. To continue adding a GT expert onto key decision-making teams at the MDE (MI Dept. of Education) in order to offer direction/leadership.
2.  To Adopt a Model Acceleration Policy for MI with input from MAGC and University experts.
3.   To work on Accountability-Achievement Indexes for Advanced learners along with MAGC & University experts.
4.   To work on a 3-5 year plan together for Title II Teacher Training & GT Programming K-12 in Michigan.

Summary:  The approximately 75,000 K-12 Gifted Students in Michigan in any given year, deserve to have a full year’s worth of progress.  In order to accomplish this, teachers need training in how to identify and plan programming for gifted children.  Schools need the resources to run programs that address the needs of GT students.  Parents need to be informed of options for their GT children and how to support their education.

Also, the MI Guidelines for Academic Acceleration Policies is located here.

Happy Autumn! 

It has been a joy to serve as president of the Michigan Association for Gifted Children for the past year. I, like you, share a passion for helping students, educators, and families from across the state. I look forward to continuing the work of supporting the needs of the gifted community.

As your board leader, my goal is to expand our organization’s impact by connecting and forming sustainable partnerships with more families, educators, the business community, and legislative members. Over that past year, we have done just that. 2022-23 has been a very busy year for MAGC. We believe that the time is right for gifted education in the State of Michigan and our board members are ready to lead the way!

Last year, as a board, we recognized the need for all board members and members to play a more active role in advocacy. As a result, we are making major strides in gifted education. As a board, we are working collectively to develop gifted education policies, and actionable objectives to take to the state to strengthen our pursuit of educational equity for all constituents and to eliminate barriers through education, awareness, and advocacy. 

I would like to highlight a few accomplishments in Gifted Education across the state:

• Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD), in partnership with the United States Department of Education (USDOE) and Eastern Michigan University (EMU), was awarded more than $2.5 million over the next five years to support the expansion of DPSCD’s Gifted and Talented (GATE) program. (Javits Grant)
• JKL Bahweting Anishnabe PSA in Sault Sainte Marie received support for gifted programming through Javits grant funds awarded to Purdue University. 
• Former MAGC board members Kelley Senkowski and Dr. Becky Mann have written four gifted education training modules on the Edupath platform. MAGC has financially sponsored the creation of these modules. The modules will increase educator’s knowledge and understanding of gifted children.  
• Dr. Dante Dixson, MAGC board member, also serves as an at-large member on the National Association for Gifted Children’s Board of Directors. 
• Sherry Sparks serves as the Advocacy Chair for MAGC and last year she led advocacy work at NAGC’s National Advocacy and Leadership Conference.

This is just the beginning! We look forward to providing more information soon and sharing with you how you, too, can support our gifted education advocacy efforts. 

Lastly, I would like to extend a warm welcome to all of the new MAGC board members. I look forward to engaging with you over the next year as we continue to strengthen the organization. MAGC looks forward to leveraging your strengths for the greater good of the gifted community. Thank you for your leadership and commitment in pursuit of supporting Michigan’s children.