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Recognizing and Developing Talents in Students

The Gifted and Talented Program provides accelerated and enriched services for advanced-level learners, as well as talent development opportunities, at the elementary, middle and high school levels.

Program Goals

The G/T Program seeks to recognize and develop talents in all learners, including those already performing at advanced-levels. The following goals are established to offer a continuum of program services:

  • Ensure that gifted education services are an integral part of the general education program.
  • Provide differentiated instruction and curriculum to continuously improve student achievement and performance.
  • Provide for the social and emotional needs of advanced-level learners.
  • Recognize and develop diverse abilities and talents.
  • Provide comprehensive professional learning for its teachers to help them meet the unique needs of advanced-level students.

Theses goals are based on gifted program standards of the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC).

View opportunities for:

Definitions of Giftedness

The G/T Program is based upon two definitions of giftedness which serve as a foundation for talent development in the program and selection of students. HCPSS subscribes to multi-dimensional definitions of giftedness, seeking to recognize and develop talents in students.

Talent Development

“Gifted behavior consists of behaviors that reflect an interaction among three basic clusters of human traits; above average ability, high levels of task commitment, and high levels of creativity. Students demonstrating gifted behaviors are those possessing or capable of developing this composite set of traits and applying them to any potentially valuable area of human performance.”

Adapted from Joseph Renzulli’s definition.

Academic Coursework

Advanced-level learners are those “having outstanding talent and performing, or showing the potential for performing, at remarkably high levels of accomplishment when compared with other students of a similar age, experience, or environment.”

Annotated Code of Maryland, 8-201

Program Staff

For additional program information contact 410-313-6800.