Assessment for Talent Development
Understand Your Abilities. Find Your Strengths. Chart Your Own Path.
Programs
Enrichment and credit-bearing, accelerated programs designed for students at every age and stage of talent development.
Talent Identification
Why is assessment important for advanced students?
Understanding a student’s academic potential and current level of achievement is an important first step in the talent development process. Assessments that identify strengths also help determine what is needed in terms of enrichment, acceleration, or supplemental programming. Grade-level assessments are one tool schools use. However, particularly for older students, grade-level and computer-adaptive tests can be limited in providing information for advanced learners. This issue can be addressed by utilizing assessments designed for older students, which use college and career readiness benchmarks. When provided to younger students, these assessments provide insights into academic ability and potential and allow CTD to recommend pathways for talent development and resources for instruction and programming.
Assessments
CTD Pathways
Talent Development Pathways
Understanding Strengths and Learning Needs
CTD exists to help young people with exceptional academic potential and demonstrated talent reach their full potential. CTD’s unique Pathways approach to talent development gives students opportunities to identify their academic strengths and interests, explore potential career trajectories over time, develop critical knowledge and skills, and monitor their progress.
"Who knew that waking up early on a Saturday morning to take a test would change my life?" - NUMATS Participant
Enrollment
Get Started on Your Talent Development Journey
Register for an assessment.
CTD Pathfinders
Every successful journey begins with a map, the proper tools, and a knowledgeable guide.
A CTD Pathfinders membership provides the resources necessary for students to set meaningful learning goals, make informed decisions, track progress, and connect with others with similar interests and experiences. Membership includes the following:
- Registration for a NUMATS assessment or CTD Encounters at Home
- An online portfolio system
- STEAM activity playlists and talent development badges
- Access to CTD Backpack for StudentsTM and CTD Backpack for ParentsTM online communities
- Course planning tools and recommendations
NUMATS in Schools
Above-Grade-Level Assessment Options for Schools
By using above-grade-level assessments (PSAT 8/9 for students in grades 3-6 and SAT or ACT for students in grades 6-9), NUMATS offers a more nuanced profile of advanced students’ learning needs. When given as above-grade-level assessments to high-achieving students, the tests used in NUMATS reveal the type of content students are ready to learn and assess readiness for acceleration, allowing educators to differentiate instruction to the appropriate level and make well informed decisions about programs and services. NUMATS helps schools:
- Accurately identify academic strengths and learning needs,
- Determine the level of differentiation or acceleration required for growth, and
- Access data and resources to support talent development and measure the impact of programing.
Need Help Getting Started?
If you would like to work with a CTD staff member to discuss your child’s strengths, interests, or talent development pathway, consider setting up a consultation.