This information was produced by the staff of the Belin-Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development (B-BC) at the University of Iowa (belinblank.org). The resources and information listed here are for informational purposes; there is no direct or implied endorsement by the B-BC. Services provided by the B-BC include programs for academically talented K-12 and college students, professional development for teachers, the Assessment and Counseling Clinic, the Acceleration Institute (accelerationinstitute.org), and graduate programs and research in gifted education.

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State Policies in West Virginia  

West Virginia state policy allows for academic acceleration.

Grade-based Acceleration

Early entrance to kindergarten

State policy leaves local education agencies (LEA) to determine whether early entrance to kindergarten is permitted.

Students can enroll in Kindergarten, effective for the 2019/2020 academic year, if they have attained their 5th birthday by July 1. 

Early entrance to 1st gradeIf you know where to find this information, please e-mail us.
Whole-grade acceleration

West Virginia state policy allows for academic acceleration.

Early high school graduation

More information is available regarding Graduation Requirements on the WV Dept. of Ed. website. 

Early entrance to college

Options for early entrance to college are offered through West Virginia Northern Community College and Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College.


Content-based Acceleration

Dual or concurrent enrollment in community college, college, or universityOptions for Dual Enrollment are offered through Pierpont Community and Technical College.
Middle school students permitted dual or concurrent enrollment in high school

State policy leaves LEA to determine whether and to what extent dual enrollment in middle and high school is allowed, but state policy specifically permits the award of high school credit for courses taken during middle school.
Advanced Placement®State policy permits. See WV Code 18-2E-3a. For more information on Advanced Placement, click here.
Talent Search

There is no in-state Talent Search for West Virginia, but gifted students in WV can participate in regional and national talent searches, including those offered by the University of Iowa Belin-Blank Center and the Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth.

Credit by examination/proficiency-based promotion

State policy specifically permits. Each LEA determines methods of demonstrating proficiency, and the state-specified advancement options after proficiency include individualized instruction, grade/course advancement, individualized education programs, and distance learning. State policy specifically permits the award of graduation credit for proficiency.
Other forms of content-based acceleration

The WV Dept. of Ed. Gifted Education Guidelines include several forms of content-based acceleration as options for students identified as gifted. The forms include single-subject acceleration, cooperative learning, curriculum compacting, and grade telescoping. See Gifted Guidelines - Instruction for more information.


Additional Information

West Virginia Department of Education Gifted Website
West Virginia Department of Education

The information presented on this page was compiled from a variety of resources, including the State of the States in Gifted Education 2020-2021 (a report by the Council of State Directors of Programs for the Gifted and the National Association for Gifted Children), Websites, professional literature, and personal communication. The Acceleration Institute has not verified the accuracy of this information and does not warrant its accuracy or fitness of use for any purpose. Users should verify information prior to taking any action. Furthermore, the appearance of selected programs and/or resources does not imply an endorsement or affiliation. Programs and resources are highlighted for informational purposes only.