Gifted Education
Gifted and talented children and youth are those students with outstanding abilities, identified at preschool, elementary, and secondary levels. The potential of gifted students requires differentiated and challenging educational programs and/or services beyond those provided in the general school program.
Students capable of high performance include those with demonstrated achievement or potential ability in any one or more of the following areas: general intellectual, specific academic subjects, creativity, leadership and visual and performing arts.
Hormel Foundation Gifted and Talented Education Symposium. The symposium is a collaboration between the Hormel Foundation, the Minnesota Department of Education and the Austin School District. The fifth annual General Symposium is June 10-13, 2013, in Austin, Minnesota. There will be a pre-conference June 9 and an Administrator Day on June 10.
The symposium provides an opportunity for educators, administrators, psychologists, counselors, school board members, and parents to gain a greater understanding of the unique needs of gifted, talented and high-potential learners. Visit the Symposium website to register.
Grants for registration and lodging are available for school board members and certain non-teaching district staff, including administrators, counselors and coordinators, who are first-time attendees to the symposium. Please contact Wendy Behrens for more information.
Gifted and Talented Program Design and Evaluation. The Pre-K–12 Gifted Education Programming Standards provide the basis for design and review of district and school site programming for highly able learners. They clearly articulate student outcomes and evidence-based practices. View the standards on the National Association for Gifted Children website.
Starting a Parent Group Guide. High-quality education often exists in places where there are strong parent groups. Starting and Sustaining a Parent Group to Support Gifted Children is available from the National Association for Gifted Children. The advice and examples included come directly from the experiences of parents of gifted children who have learned, firsthand, how to work with and encourage others to speak out in support of the learning needs of gifted students.
The Minnesota Scholars of Distinction program nurtures and recognizes distinguished achievement by highly motivated, self-directed students. Each specialty area was developed through partnerships of educators, the business community and others. Students may now apply for Scholars of Distinction Awards in Leadership, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and Theater Arts. For information about the criteria, timelines and application process for a 2013 award, visit the Scholars of Distinction page.
Acceleration is an intervention that moves students through an educational program at a more rapid rate than their age-mates. The goal of acceleration is to tailor the level and complexity of the curriculum to the ability and academic readiness of individual children. Read the Frequently Asked Questions for more information. The Institute for Research and Policy (IRPA) Guidelines for Developing an Academic Acceleration Policy contains an easy-to-use checklist to guide policy development. Visit the IRPA website.
Legislation. Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.15 GIFTED and TALENTED STUDENTS PROGRAM (a) and (b), permit school districts and charter schools to identify students who are gifted and talented, develop and evaluate programs to serve them locally and provide staff development to ensure that they have access to challenging educational programs. The legislation also provides guidance for districts to adopt procedures for assessing and identifying students.
Section (c) directs school districts and charter schools to adopt procedures for the academic acceleration of gifted and talented students that include an assessment of students' readiness and motivation for acceleration and a match between the curriculum and the students' academic needs. (Districts may wish to implement policies that reflect gifted and talented best practices, consistent with Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.15.)
Gifted and talented revenue (Minnesota Statutes, section 126C.10 Subdivision 2 (b)) provides school districts and charter schools with $12 times a district’s adjusted marginal cost pupil units (AMCPU) to be used to:
1. Identify gifted and talented students.
2. Provide education programs for gifted and talented students.
3. Provide staff development to prepare teachers to best meet the unique needs of gifted and talented students.
The Gifted and Talented Advisory Council will meet several times during the school year.
The Gifted Education Strategic Planning Committee will meet on May 31, 2013, 8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. at MDE in Conference Center A Room CC 13. Please contact Wendy Behrens at wendy.behrens@state.mn.us if you are interested in attending the meeting.
Students capable of high performance include those with demonstrated achievement or potential ability in any one or more of the following areas: general intellectual, specific academic subjects, creativity, leadership and visual and performing arts.
Hormel Foundation Gifted and Talented Education Symposium. The symposium is a collaboration between the Hormel Foundation, the Minnesota Department of Education and the Austin School District. The fifth annual General Symposium is June 10-13, 2013, in Austin, Minnesota. There will be a pre-conference June 9 and an Administrator Day on June 10.
The symposium provides an opportunity for educators, administrators, psychologists, counselors, school board members, and parents to gain a greater understanding of the unique needs of gifted, talented and high-potential learners. Visit the Symposium website to register.
Grants for registration and lodging are available for school board members and certain non-teaching district staff, including administrators, counselors and coordinators, who are first-time attendees to the symposium. Please contact Wendy Behrens for more information.
Gifted and Talented Program Design and Evaluation. The Pre-K–12 Gifted Education Programming Standards provide the basis for design and review of district and school site programming for highly able learners. They clearly articulate student outcomes and evidence-based practices. View the standards on the National Association for Gifted Children website.
Starting a Parent Group Guide. High-quality education often exists in places where there are strong parent groups. Starting and Sustaining a Parent Group to Support Gifted Children is available from the National Association for Gifted Children. The advice and examples included come directly from the experiences of parents of gifted children who have learned, firsthand, how to work with and encourage others to speak out in support of the learning needs of gifted students.
The Minnesota Scholars of Distinction program nurtures and recognizes distinguished achievement by highly motivated, self-directed students. Each specialty area was developed through partnerships of educators, the business community and others. Students may now apply for Scholars of Distinction Awards in Leadership, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and Theater Arts. For information about the criteria, timelines and application process for a 2013 award, visit the Scholars of Distinction page.
Acceleration is an intervention that moves students through an educational program at a more rapid rate than their age-mates. The goal of acceleration is to tailor the level and complexity of the curriculum to the ability and academic readiness of individual children. Read the Frequently Asked Questions for more information. The Institute for Research and Policy (IRPA) Guidelines for Developing an Academic Acceleration Policy contains an easy-to-use checklist to guide policy development. Visit the IRPA website.
Legislation. Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.15 GIFTED and TALENTED STUDENTS PROGRAM (a) and (b), permit school districts and charter schools to identify students who are gifted and talented, develop and evaluate programs to serve them locally and provide staff development to ensure that they have access to challenging educational programs. The legislation also provides guidance for districts to adopt procedures for assessing and identifying students.
Section (c) directs school districts and charter schools to adopt procedures for the academic acceleration of gifted and talented students that include an assessment of students' readiness and motivation for acceleration and a match between the curriculum and the students' academic needs. (Districts may wish to implement policies that reflect gifted and talented best practices, consistent with Minnesota Statutes, section 120B.15.)
Gifted and talented revenue (Minnesota Statutes, section 126C.10 Subdivision 2 (b)) provides school districts and charter schools with $12 times a district’s adjusted marginal cost pupil units (AMCPU) to be used to:
1. Identify gifted and talented students.
2. Provide education programs for gifted and talented students.
3. Provide staff development to prepare teachers to best meet the unique needs of gifted and talented students.
The Gifted and Talented Advisory Council will meet several times during the school year.
The Gifted Education Strategic Planning Committee will meet on May 31, 2013, 8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. at MDE in Conference Center A Room CC 13. Please contact Wendy Behrens at wendy.behrens@state.mn.us if you are interested in attending the meeting.
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Gifted and Talented Youth Week 2012
Governor Dayton proclaims November 5-10 to be Gifted and Talented Youth Week. -
FAQ: Gifted and Talented Legislation
This resource answers questions about Minnesota's gifted and talented legislation
