Carnegie Mellon University is discontinuing its Institute for Talented Elementary and Secondary Students, the school announced last week.

The decision follows a drop in interest and rise in similar programs elsewhere, including online, a statement said.

Founded in 1992, C-MITES offered summer programs in math, science and the humanities for gifted elementary and middle school students at sites across Pennsylvania.

The one- to two-week half-day summer programs cost $255 to $550, with limited financial aid available.

Weekend workshops were conducted during the school year in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.

The institute also administered the EXPLORE test, a standardized test often used as an early indicator of college readiness.

Carnegie Mellon spokeswoman Abby Simmons said in an email that the school had no further comment about the program’s end beyond the statement, declining to provide data on declining enrollment or information on the alternative programs mentioned.

Alex Gray, western region coordinator of the Pennsylvania Association for Gifted Education, said the program’s end is a loss for the community.

He said that among local opportunities for gifted learners, C-MITES was a “staple.”

Though he does not know why Carnegie Mellon decided to stop running the program, Mr. Gray noted that a rise in cyber-charter schools and other online programs has widened the marketplace for advanced students.

First Published: August 11, 2014, 4:26 a.m.