Beginning with the 2006-07 school year, Burris will admit a limited number of additional students at each grade level who are identified as gifted through a test-in process. Existing test results may be used. If no test results are available, students may be assessed by Ball State's Center for Gifted Studies and Talent Development (765-285-5390). Detailed information about the appropriate scores and accepted tests, checklists and rating scales may be found at www.bsu.edu/gifted.

The timeline for the program is:

• April 10 -- Applications for gifted students in grades K-12 available at Burris Laboratory School, 2201 W. University Ave., Muncie and online at www.bsu.edu/gifted
• May 1 -- Center for Gifted Studies and Talent Development begins accepting and processing applications for gifted and talented students
• June 2 -- Deadline for application to be accepted as gifted and talented
• June 9 -- Final date for notification of those who are eligible
• June 14 -- If more students are eligible than there are openings at some grade levels, a lottery for gifted applicants will be held at 2 p.m. at Burris to determine the order of admittance

Students not meeting the criteria for acceptance as gifted or gifted students who are not admitted through the lottery for gifted openings at their grade level may apply for admittance through the regular lottery for grades 1-12 to be held at 2 p.m., June 19 in the Burris Auditorium. The deadline for applications for this lottery is June 16. Siblings of those admitted through the new test-in process will receive the same placement preference for openings as do siblings of all currently enrolled Burris students.

Strengthening the gifted education program at Burris will ensure that Ball State is well positioned to achieve its goal of being nationally known for excellence in gifted education, a goal that the school identified in planning documents dating back to 1989, said Roy Weaver, dean of Ball State University's Teachers College.

"Enrolling these new students with exceptional abilities will allow Ball State, through the laboratory school, to conduct more research into best practices in this extremely challenging area of education, to publish findings for the benefit of educators everywhere and to enhance opportunities for pre-service teachers to broaden their understanding of how to meet the needs of gifted students," he said.

Weaver said this initiative is a natural evolution of the university's 50-year commitment to gifted education -- dating back to when the university offered the first class in this field -- and builds on the programs and services provided by the university, such as:

• the Shared Information Services repository of books and tapes, housed at Burris, which are made available to teachers across Indiana who need support in educating gifted students in a regular classroom setting
• the Indiana Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Humanities, a residential high school for gifted juniors and seniors from across Indiana
• the Center for Gifted Studies and Talent Development, which identifies, promotes and develops giftedness; conducts research in gifted education; and works to enhance programs for those who work with gifted and talented persons
• varied course work in gifted education, including the gifted education license, a cognate in gifted education for doctoral students and a concentration area in gifted education for elementary education majors

(Note to Editors: For more information on this story, contact Weaver at (765) 285-5251 or rweaver@bsu.edu.)