Gifted & Talented Education

For more information, please contact Dr. Amanda Ortiz-Torres, Gifted Education Coordinator at amanda_ortiz-torres@engschools.net

Definition of Giftedness: The Exceptional Children's Educational Act (ECEA) defines gifted children as:

Those persons between the ages of four and twenty-one whose aptitude or competence in abilities, talents, and potential for accomplishment in one or more domains are so exceptional or developmentally advanced that they require special provisions to meet their educational programming needs. Gifted children are hereafter referred to as gifted students. Children under five who are gifted may also be provided with early childhood special educational services. Gifted students include gifted students with disabilities (i.e. twice exceptional) and students with exceptional abilities or potential from all socio-economic, ethnic, and cultural populations. Gifted students are capable of high performance, exceptional production, or exceptional learning behavior by virtue of any or a combination of these areas of giftedness:

  • General or Specific Intellectual Ability

  • Specific Academic Aptitude

  • Creative or Productive Thinking

  • Leadership Abilities

  • Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Musical or Psychomotor Abilities

Giftedness is equally represented across all racial, ethnic, and cultural populations, as well as economic strata. Students may be identified in the areas of Reading, Writing, Math, Social Studies, Science, World Language, Creativity, Leadership, Art, and General Intellectual Ability. We serve students with a broad range of academic and affective needs. 

Gifted programming is provided at all of our schools. Programming ranges from personalized learning plans, flexible grouping, cluster programming, K-6 course and grade acceleration, Honors, AP, and CTE courses in high school.  Gifted Education Facilitators  serve as the Gifted Education Liaisons at our schools. Schools K-12 have school based mental health teams that work with the students to support affective (social emotional) goal setting and needs. Every student who is identified as Gifted has an Advanced Learning Plan (ALP). The ALP serves as a personalized learning plan for outlining the academic and social-emotional supports that the school, in collaboration with the ALP school team and student’s family.  The ALP could contain up to 2 standards-aligned goals: one in the student’s area of giftedness, and one affective goal.

Staff throughout the district are invited to participate in professional development on gifted learners throughout the year. The gifted education coordinator also provides coaching and mentoring to staff on an as-needed basis. 

The Gifted Education program supports extension activities such as Challenge Nights, Game Nights, Summer Camp, and family/community engagement events throughout the year.