What is Gifted & Talented (GT)?
Gifted & Talented is an educational program designed to move students with high ability at a pace appropriate to their rate of learning through studies that go beyond the age-level or grade-level expectations which include depth and complexity and address the cognitive, social, and emotional needs of the students. Smart without compromise. Potential without limits.
GT STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) for students identified gifted in math and/or science and GT Humanities for students identified gifted in language arts and/or social studies.
Students will be formally identified to participate in one or more of the interdisciplinary programs through the GATE screening process. Elementary-level students will be screened for both programs while secondary students may be screened for one or both.
GT Referral and Screening Process
GT Referral and Screening Process Document
Austin ISD Gifted & Talented Services
Elementary GT services include instruction by a teacher with the appropriate GT Foundations training within a cluster grouping model (small group of identified GT students within the general education classroom) which allows opportunities for curricular tasks that include greater depth, complexity, and pacing while working independently with other GT students, and with students not identified.
Parents/guardians of identified GT students at the elementary level should expect a GT Student Services Summary each semester completed by the teacher of the academic options provided. Academic options provided vary based teacher decisions.
Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted (SENG) Webinars
Austin ISD has purchased a site license for the following SENG webinars. Use access code “CP2017” to view webinars.
- Is It a Gift or a Curse? What It Means to Be an Outlier… and What to Do About It!
- Mindfulness: Fostering the Emotional Growth of Children with Advanced Abilities
- Building Resilience in Gifted Children: Fostering a Sense of Autonomy and Confidence
- Stress, Anxiety and Gifted: Coping with Everyday Life
- Strategies for Dealing with Emotional Overexcitabilities
Doss Gifted and Talented Advocate
Tracy Sheridan
tracy.sheridan@austinisd.org