State of Texas Gifted/Talented Program

The purpose of the Gifted and Talented (G/T) program is to implement, maintain, and support a variety of instructional strategies that address the four core academic areas: reading/language arts, math, science, and social studies. Students in the G/T program demonstrate skills in self-directed learning, thinking, research, and communication. In the Dallas ISD, students are nominated, screened, and selected by the campus G/T Selection Committee.

The Dallas ISD's G/T program consists of three components: grades K-5, grades 6-8, and grades 9-12. G/T students in grades K-5 are served with a “pull out’’ program that meets the needs of students who demonstrate complex thinking skills and need for an academic challenge. G/T students are provided a minimum of two hours of classroom instruction per week, focused on critical thinking, problem-solving, creative thinking, researching, and developing innovative products.

G/T students in secondary schools are served through a variety of advanced academic programs. G/T students in grades 6-8 may take advanced academic courses like Honors (AP), and those in grades 9-12 may take Honors, AP, or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses (select campuses).

A potential G/T student is nominated by a teacher, counselor, administrator, parent, community member, peer, or a student can self-nominate. Test scores for the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) and MAP are also used to determine eligibility. Each campus has a ‘Selection Committee’ chaired by a G/T teacher. The committees consist of at least four professional educators who received training in the nature and needs of G/T students.