Frequently Asked Questions

The following is from the nagc.org website.

Is there a definition of "gifted"?

Yes. The current federal definition of gifted students was originally developed in the 1972 Marland Report to Congress, and has been modified several times since then. The current definition, which is located in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, is

Students, children, or youth who give evidence of high achievement capability in areas such as intellectual, creative, artistic, or leadership capacity, or in specific academic fields, and who need services and activities not ordinarily provided by the school in order to fully develop those capabilities.

Note: States and districts are not required to use the federal definition, although many states base their definitions on the federal definition.

Click here to read other definitions of giftedness.

How many gifted children are there in the U.S.?

NAGC estimates that there are approximately 3 million academically gifted children in grades K-12 in the U.S - approximately 6% of the student population. No federal agency or organization collects these student statistics; the number is generated based on an estimate that dates back to the 1972 Marland Report to Congress, which estimated that 5-7% of school children are "capable of high performance" and in need of "services or activities not normally provided by the school."

Although we are not aware of national studies of the incidence of artistic talent in the student population, the number of gifted and talented students increases, depending on the number of categories of giftedness used in the estimate.

Who makes decisions about gifted students' experiences in school?

Almost all decisions about gifted education are made at the state and local level. Although many school districts recognize that gifted and talented students are individuals with unique needs, state laws, local policies, and available funding vary widely, resulting in a disparity of services between school districts and uneven protection for gifted and talented students under the law.

Each school site will provide for the needs of high ability students in the regular classroom through the implementation of some or all of the following strategies:

• Differentiated instruction
• Curriculum compacting
• Content acceleration
• Tiered assignments
• Flexible grouping
• Independent study
• Enrichment activities

In the high school additional program options may be offered as appropriate to the student’s talents, abilities, and qualifications.

• Honors courses
• Advanced Placement courses