ERIC Search Terms Frequently Used in Special/Gifted Education

Many documents in the ERIC database carry a descriptor that indicates the education level of that document, so including an education level in your search is a good way to obtain better search results. The following is a list of various education levels and their corresponding ERIC terms. For a complete list of terms that ERIC uses, please see the ERIC Thesaurus, which is available at most university and large municipal libraries, or on the Internet at http://www.ericfacility.net/extra/authfiles/thessearch.cfm

ERIC Descriptor	Grade Level	Chronological Age
Early Childhood Education	Birth-Grade 3	0-9 years
Preschool Education	Birth-K	0-5 years
Primary Education	Grades K-3	5-9 years
Kindergarten	Grade K	5-6 years
Grade 1	Grade 1	6-7 years
Grade 2	Grade 2	7-8 years
Grade 3	Grade 3	8-9 years
Elementary Secondary Education	Grades K-12	5-18 years
Elementary Education	Grades K-6	5-12 years
Adult Basic Education	Grades K-8	Adult
Primary Education	Grades K-3	5-9 years
Kindergarten	Grade K	5-6 years
Grade 1	Grade 1	6-7 years
Grade 2	Grade 2	7-8 years
Grade 3	Grade 3	8-9 years
Intermediate Grades	Grades 4-6	9-12 years
Grade 4	Grade 4	9-10 years
Grade 5	Grade 5	10-11 years
Grade 6	Grade 6	11-12 years
Middle Schools	Grades 6-8	12-14 years
Grade 6	Grade 6	11-12 years
Grade 7	Grade 7	12-13 years
Grade 8	Grade 8	13-14 years
Secondary Education	Grades 7-12	12-18 years
Junior High Schools	Grades 7-9	12-15 years
Grade 7	Grade 7	12-13 years
Grade 8	Grade 8	13-14 years
Grade 9	Grade 9	14-15 years
High Schools	Grades 9-12	14-18 years
Grade 9	Grade 9	14-15 years
Grade 10	Grade 10	15-16 years
Grade 11	Grade 11	16-17 years
Grade 12	Grade 12	17-18 years
High School Equivalency Programs	Grades 9-12	Adult
Postsecondary Education	Beyond Grade 12	Adult
Higher Education	Beyond Grade 12	Adult
Two-Year Colleges	Beyond Grade 12	Adult