Gifted Education and Talent Development offers resource services from kindergarten through 12th grade for students whose learning needs cannot be entirely met in the general education classroom setting.
Gifted Education and Talent Development offers resource services from kindergarten through 12th grade for students whose learning needs cannot be entirely met in the general education classroom setting.
Students who are found eligible for gifted education services demonstrate high levels of academic accomplishment or show exceptional academic potential beyond their age peers of similar experience or environment, in general intellectual aptitude, or in one or more specific academic areas. The definition of gifted used in the Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) is based on Virginia Regulations Governing Educational Services for Gifted Students.
Gifted students need advanced and complex content that is paced and sequenced to respond to their intellectual curiosity, exceptional problem-solving abilities, and rapid acquisition and mastery of information. The number of minutes and frequency of services vary depending on the grade level. Differentiated classroom services are also provided through collaboration between classroom teachers and the gifted resource teacher.
The goal of gifted education and talent development in PWCS is to develop advanced skills to encourage and enable students to become self-directed learners:
The identification process is ongoing throughout the school year. A student may be referred at any time by a parent, professional, divisionwide screening tool, or self-referral. PWCS uses a multicriteria approach to identification. Balanced consideration is given to many factors, including aptitude test scores, academic achievement, parent and professional reports, and student work samples. No single criterion is used to determine a student’s eligibility. Visit the Identification Process page for more information. If you would like to refer a student for gifted evaluation, please email the gifted resource teacher at your child's school.
Gifted students typically demonstrate one or more of the following characteristics, which may be observed at home:
In PWCS, all students in kindergarten through second grade participate in enrichment lessons taught by gifted resource teachers. The lessons focus on nurturing critical and creative thinking skills and expose all students to challenging opportunities. The Early Talent Development program recognizes students with gifted potential and provides targeted support to develop that potential.
Increasing equitable access to challenging opportunities is a strategic goal in PWCS and is a priority for Gifted Education and Talent Development. Accurate identification of economically disadvantaged, minority, students with disabilities, and limited English proficient students requires purposeful action. Strategies, including universal screening, professional development for educators, community outreach, and early exposure to enriching opportunities, are implemented in PWCS to remove barriers and increase equity.