Gifted Talented Education

Welcome to the gifted/talented (G/T) education webpage. The state's goal for G/T students is to ensure that students who participate in G/T services demonstrate self-directed learning, thinking, research, and communication skills. G/T students develop innovative products and sophisticated performances that reflect individuality and creativity and are targeted to an audience outside the classroom.

A gifted/talented student is a child or youth who performs at or shows the potential for performing at a remarkably high level of accomplishment when compared to others of the same age, experience, or environment and who

• exhibits high-performance capability in an intellectual, creative, or artistic area;
• possesses an unusual capacity for leadership; or
• excels in a specific academic field. (Texas Education Code §29.121)

The following G/T resources assist local education agencies in certifying to the commissioner that the district has established a program for G/T students as required by rule, and it is consistent with the Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented Students (State Plan) under Texas Education Code Section 29.123 and the use of the funds on the district’s program for G/T as provided by the State Board of Education rule.

Texas State Plan

The State Plan provides requirements for and guidance to districts as they meet the unique needs of the gifted/talented population in Texas.

The Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented Students (State Plan) - revised 2019

English Version (PDF, 160 KB)

Spanish Version (PDF, 181 KB)

For a print-ready file allowing you to produce an English-Spanish flip version of the Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented Students, please e-mail gted@tea.texas.gov.

Gifted/Talented Mailing List

Professional Development

The 30 hours of G/T foundational training, 6 hours of update, and administrator/counselor training are coordinated by the local district.

• Required Gifted/Talented Teacher Training (PDF, 16.9 KB) 

• Gifted and Talented (Supplemental) (SBEC Standards)

School board training and other trainings are available through the regional Education Service Centers (ESCs).

Gifted/Talented Education Resources

The following links provide support for G/T instruction and program services.

GT Program Implementation

Performance Standards Project

Equity in G/T Education

G/T Teacher Toolkit I

G/T Teacher Toolkit II