The Davidson Academy is a public school for gifted middle and high school students located in Reno, Nevada on the University of Nevada, Reno campus.[1] The school, founded in 2006, is the first university public school in the nation for profoundly gifted (high IQ) students, a unique classification in Nevada legislature.[2][3][4] As of the 2023-2024 school year, 172 students are enrolled in the Davidson Academy Reno campus and 95 students are enrolled through the online campus.[5][6] The Davidson Academy groups students by ability, rather than age, and allows students to take curricula at any level, including university classes as part of a dual-enrollment program with the University of Nevada, Reno. The school was designed with the purpose "to provide profoundly gifted young people an advanced educational opportunity matched to their abilities, strengths and interests."[7] Eligible candidates must score in the 99.9th percentile on accepted intelligence and/or achievement tests (about 145+ on traditional IQ tests); perform at a required academic level; exhibit intellectual and academic achievement; be, or intend to be, residents of Nevada; and pass other criteria such as an in-person assesment.[8] As listed by the Washington Post's Jay Mathews, the Davidson Academy is one of the nation's "Top-performing schools with elite students."[9] The academy was ranked as the #1 Best Public High School in America by Niche.com in 2024 [10] and has the highest average ACT score in the nation.[11]
| Davidson Academy | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Address | |
 | |
1164 N Virginia St , 89503 United States | |
| Coordinates | 39°32′20″N 119°48′59″W / 39.538830°N 119.816432°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Public school |
| Established | 2006 |
| Director | Colleen Harsin (Reno campus) |
| Grades | 5-12 |
| Enrollment | 172 (2023-24) |
| Color(s) | Maroon and gray |
| Mascot | Phoenix |
| Website | www |
The average class ratio of students to teachers is currently about 4:1.[12] The academy's directors are Colleen Harsin (Reno campus) and Stacy Hawthorne, Ed.D. (online campus).[13][14]
In 2017-2018, the academy launched an online option. For the most-up-to-date information, see the online campus section of the academy's website.[15]
The school is a division of the Davidson Institute for Talent Development, a national nonprofit organization established by the Davidsons to support the needs of profoundly gifted children through information resources, networking and educational opportunities, family support, advocacy, and scholarships.[16]
Academics
editThe Davidson Academy is consistently ranked as one of the highest-achieving academic schools in the nation, being ranked 4th in the USNews 2023 report.[17] Class sizes are small, with an average of less than 15 students and some classes as small as 3-4 people.[18] Curriculum offered includes math up to differential equations, language instruction in Spanish and Chinese, as well as various electives such as machine learning and animation.[19] Any classes not offered by the academy can usually be taken at the university, where students are encouraged to enroll when their abilities or interests exceed the academy course catalog.
History
editThe academy's Reno campus was created following state legislation that passed in 2005 allowing the creation of a "university school for profoundly gifted pupils." Bob and Jan Davidson, previous owners of Davidson & Associates and supporters of gifted education, decided to create the academy as an outgrowth of the Davidson Young Scholar program, upon requests by many of the parents asking them to start a school and saying they would move for their students to attend.[20][21] A full-time online campus for the Davidson Academy was launched for the 2017-2018 academic year. The online option provides profoundly gifted students across the United States and Canada a "rigorous online academic environment where these students can thrive among their intellectual peers."[22]
Awards and honors
edit- Consistently ranked as one of the nation's "Top-performing schools with elite students" by the Washington Post's Jay Mathews.[23][24][25][26][27]
- Ranked #1 Public High School in America by Niche.com [28]
- 16 out of 25 Davidson Academy seniors were named 2024 National Merit Scholarship semifinalists.[29]
- 2016, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 Winners of the Nevada Science Bowl.[30] [31]
- One Presidential Scholar each in 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2020, and two Presidential Scholars in 2017.[32][33][34][35]
- 2023 and 2024 winners of the middle school Nevada Mathcounts competition.[36][37]
- 2017, 2018, 2022, and 2024 "Elite Eight" team in the International Public Policy Forum.[38]
- Davidson's DECA chapter regularly sends about half of its students to DECA's International Career Development Conference [39]
Notable alumni
edit- Taylor Wilson (born 1994), nuclear scientist and youngest person to build a working Farnsworth–Hirsch fusor.
References
edit- ^ "Davidson Academy Admissions"
- ^ "Are We Failing Our Geniuses?" Time, August 16, 2007
- ^ "No genius left behind? Reno academy caters to smart students". USA Today, August 4, 2009
- ^ "New academy for highly gifted students opens at UNR". Archived 2007-08-27 at the Wayback Machine Las Vegas Sun, October 4, 2005
- ^ "School Profile"
- ^ "Online School Profile"
- ^ "Mission & Goals"
- ^ "Davidson Academy of Nevada Overview"
- ^ "Top-performing schools with elite students - 2020" Jay Mathews Challenge Index
- ^ ""2024 Best Public High Schools in America" Niche.com". Niche.
- ^ "The Best Public High Schools in the U.S. by SAT & ACT Scores". Brainly.
- ^ "Explore the Davidson Academy".
- ^ Davidson Academy - Colleen Harsin Bio
- ^ Davidson Academy - Stacy Hawthorne Bio
- ^ Davidson Academy - Online
- ^ Oh Baby! Look Who's Reading the Paper". NBC's Today Show. 2009-4-22. http://allday.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/04/22/1903068.aspx Archived 2009-04-25 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "2 Nevada schools among report’s list of top 100 high schools"
- ^ "Academics FAQs"
- ^ "Davidson Academy Courses"
- ^ "Some New Help for the Extremely Gifted". The New York Times
- ^ "Chapter 388C - University Schools for Profoundly Gifted Pupils". Nevada Legislature.
- ^ "Davidson Academy launches online school for gifted students". Reno Gazette-Journal.
- ^ "Top-performing schools with elite students - 2020" Jay Mathews Challenge Index
- ^ "Top-performing schools with elite students - 2017" Washington Post
- ^ "Top-performing schools with elite students - 2016" Washington Post
- ^ "Top-performing schools with elite students - 2015" Washington Post
- ^ "Top-performing schools with elite students - 2014" Washington Post
- ^ "2024 Best Public High Schools in America"
- ^ "School Profile"
- ^ "Reno's Davidson Academy wins 2016 Nevada Science Bowl"
- ^ "Davidson Academy wins fifth consecutive Nevada Science Bowl title"
- ^ "141 Students from Across the Country Named 2014 U.S. Presidential Scholars | U.S. Department of Education". www.ed.gov. Retrieved 2017-01-27.
- ^ "141 Students from Across the Country Named 2015 U.S. Presidential Scholars | U.S. Department of Education". www.ed.gov. Retrieved 2017-01-02.
- ^ "160 Students from Across the Country Named 2016 U.S. Presidential Scholars | U.S. Department of Education". www.ed.gov. Retrieved 2017-01-27.
- ^ "3 Nevada students named U.S. Presidential Scholars | Las Vegas Review-Journal". www.reviewjournal.com/. 23 May 2020. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
- ^ "Local middle school students win big at Nevada State MATHCOUNTS competition"
- ^ "Reno Davidson Academy Students Win Nevada Math Competition"
- ^ "Announcing the Elite 8 Teams".
- ^ "Nevada DECA Takes Home the Glass"