History

The Education Program for Gifted Youth Online High School (EPGY OHS) at Stanford University is an independent school for gifted students in grades 7-12.  The school was founded in 2006 as a four year high school, and subsequently was expanded to include grades 7-9 so as to provide a stronger foundation for our younger students.  EPGY OHS has been accredited by WASC since 2006 and has been approved as an online provider by the University of California since 2008. In the Spring of 2010 we will complete our second WASC accreditation cycle with the anticipation of receiving accreditation for all grades 7-12. 

What are the goals of the EPGY OHS?

• Preparing gifted students for success in life and in their future intellectual pursuits.
• Providing gifted students everywhere with an opportunity to receive an education comparable to that offered by the best schools in the world.
• Allowing gifted students to pursue advanced academic studies and integrate them easily into their local high school’s diploma requirements.

What are some features of the EPGY OHS?

• Online instruction combining seminar-style and directed-study courses on a flexible college-style class schedule
• Courses that complement local school curricula and provide the opportunity to earn transferable college credits
• Academically rigorous courses
• University-level courses in many subjects
• Enhanced mathematical content in natural science and social science courses
• Emphasis on critical analysis and oral and written argumentation in social science and humanities courses
• Challenging core courses:
• The Methodology of Science – Biology
• History of Science: Great Ideas, Observations, and Experiments
• Democracy, Freedom, and Rule of Law
• Critical Reading and Argumentation
• Engaging extracurricular activities that build on student interests
• Intensive residential summer courses at Stanford University

What are some of the features of the new 7th and 8th grades?

• Emphasis on analytical reasoning, argumentation, and writing in the Humanities and in the Sciences
• Inquiry-based Physics course providing students with a hands-on introduction to science
• Foundational course in expository writing and English grammar and style
• Interdisciplinary eighth grade English and Social Science courses
• Prevalence of science content throughout the curriculum
• Chinese and Latin courses starting in 7th grade
• Residential summer program for students to meet their peers and teachers face-to-face on Stanford campus

What are the advantages of starting with the EPGY OHS in the 7th and 8th grades?

• Courses give students the foundation for success in the EPGY OHS high school courses
• Courses develop skills, strategies, and techniques required of self-directed learners
• Small classes taught by subject matter experts with advanced degrees
• Enhanced academic counseling
• Personalized learning environment ideal for gifted students
• Flexible enrollment options: full-time, part-time, or single course