Regional Gifted Centers

The Chicago Regional Gifted Centers (RGCs) provide accelerated learning for academically advanced students at the elementary school level. Because the learning is accelerated, the students then have time to complete more advanced, hands-on projects, term papers and learn the importance of teamwork, so your child may delve deeper into the subject matter. All students must take an admissions test for entrance into RGCs.

About the Chicago Regional Gifted Centers (RGCs)

• RGCs emphasize thinking, problem solving, learning, and creativity.
• RGCs provide a challenge for your child in the core content areas plus instruction in a world language or Latin, laboratory science, computer science and fine arts.
• RGCs are all full-time, comprehensive programs for students in K- 8th Grade.
• RGCs have no boundaries! Students from across the city may apply.
• RGCs offers differentiated, enriched curriculum at an accelerated pace.
• RGCs give your child a continual focus on nurturing self-responsibility, as well as, creative, critical and independent thinking skills.
• RGCs afford gifted students the opportunity to learn and relate to others with similar interests & talents.
• RGCs are structured as self-contained for 1st – 5th Grade and are departmentalized for 6th – 8th Grade.
• RGCs programs are structured so that your child may function 1-2 years above grade level when they reach the upper grades.
• RGCs teach natural and social sciences, arts and humanities through integrated interdisciplinary units.

Where to Find RGCs

There are 13 Regional Gifted Centers, designed to provide appropriate services for children identified as gifted.

• Each RGC provides a differentiated, enriched curriculum allows for skill development appropriate for the gifted student’s abilities and interests.
• 3 RGCs are designed for students who are English Language Learners (Greeley, Orozco, and Pulaski), and whose first language is Polish, Russian, or Spanish.
• 3 RGCs are full-site centers (Edison, Keller, and Lenart). All students in these schools are in the Regional Gifted Center, and no student may enroll in the schools without participating in the application and selection process.
• 10 RGCs are housed in neighborhood schools (Beaubien, Bell, Carnegie, Coonley, Greeley, National Teachers Academy, Orozco, Pritzker, Pulaski and South Loop). This means that each school has two separate programs, a regular education program and the Regional Gifted Center program.
• 1 RGC is housed in a magnet school (Beasley) – in this case, the school has two separate programs, a magnet school and a Regional Gifted Center.

How to Apply to RGCs

First you must fill out the application for Selective Enrollment Elementary Schools (SEES).

Then your child must take an admissions test. If your child is in K – 4th Grade, he will be given an age-appropriate test. However for 5th – 8th Grade, your child’s NWEA MAP scores must be at or above a certain percentile in reading and math to be eligible for testing.

Tell us about your experiences

8 Responses

Vanessa Lopez

What is a Comprehensive Gifted Program and how can it be implemented in schools such as Orozco, Pulaski and Greeley for English Learners?

anastasia.herasimovich@gmail.com

I do not seem to find the gifted center for Russian native speakers. Has it been discontinued?

Lana

What are the 13 Elementary RGC? I thought skinner north was one of them.

TestingMom.com

Hi Lana,

According to the GoCPS paper application (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Uy3hWPBHKuJi1HKgIDyQEHNLOvVEFsAy/view) for the 2023/24 school year, Skinner North is identified as a Selective Enrollment School, but it is a Classical School (https://www.cps.edu/gocps/gocps-school-search/?id=610534).

All the best,

Marcus

Janelle Gaines

Hello,

Do you know if a child is able to transfer from one gifted school to another. For example, my daughter was accepted into Carnegie Regional Gifted Center, begins Kindergarten Fall 2024. Keller RGC is closer to our home but starts at 1st grade. Can she transfer next year?

TestingMom.com

Hi Janelle,
You will need to reach out to the other school to determine if she can transfer. They may require further testing. Good luck!

Daniela

Hello,
Question about the test, is it only taken in English? What possibilities does a child with excellent grades but learning the English language have? We are applying for 7th grade to some selective school.

TestingMom.com

Hi Daniela,
Chicago Regional Gifted Centers offer an accelerated instructional program with a curriculum that focuses on creative thinking, reasoning, creativity and problem solving. Tests that follow the CPS Gifted test include NNAT, which is a cognitive, picture based test. The NNAT can also be used to evaluate students with learning challenges or to assess students for whom a language-free assessment is required. The test to qualify for this program is a cognitive test, which measures a child’s thinking and reasoning abilities, not what they have learned in school. No matter what grade your child is in, begin your practice with lower grade level questions and work your way up (and past grade level if possible) as questions on this test build on the easier concepts covered in lower grade questions.
With a TestingMom membership, you will have access to questions that follow ALL the skills required on the CPS exams.

See if TestingMom.com supports your child’s test by your school district. If you don't see your child's school district listed, check with us! We have practice for other tests as well.