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Why are gifted programs needed?
An article by the NAGC explaining the importance and impact that gifted/talented programs have on students.
Gifted/Talented resources for families and educators
Encouraging equitable representation of student populations in Gifted/Talented (G/T) programs throughout the state by providing tools and resources that inform and support families and educators.
Families
Resources and tools to help you support your child and advocate for their needs and access for specialized Gifted/Talented services in the academic setting.
Educators
Resources and tools to assist educators in increasing and serving Gifted/Talented students from underrepresented populations.
Resource Library
Collection of Gifted/Talented tools and resources that inform and support families and educators.
Equitable access to Gifted/Talented services
As the state grows and the population changes, educators need to continually evaluate how best to serve all learners, including those who need G/T services. Ensuring equitable access to G/T services is a critical charge for Texas educators. G/T students come from a variety of cultural, linguistic, and socio-economic backgrounds and might also be twice-exceptional, both G/T and learning disabled. These factors need to be considered in assessing if G/T identification processes include or exclude nontraditional students.
Many nontraditional G/T students can be overlooked when traditional assessments provide the sole basis for placement in G/T programs. Despite adoption of the Texas State Plan for the Education of G/T Students in 1996, Texas school districts have made little progress in achieving the goal of section 1.6E. Discrepancies still exist between the percentage of underrepresented populations in the total student population versus the percentage of underrepresented populations identified for G/T services.
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Gifted English Language Learners
Texas is a wonderfully diverse state where more than 30 languages are spoken. Approximately 34% of Texas residents speak a language other than English. Of that group, 85% speak Spanish. A linguistically diverse gifted student is a child or youth who has the characteristics of gifted students with the potential for high achievement, whose primary language is one other than English, and whose English language skills are such that the student has difficulty performing ordinary classwork in English.