Gifted Education
Overview
School divisions are required to identify gifted K-12 students and provide instructional services to meet their needs. The Virginia Board of Education adopted the Regulations Governing Educational Services for Gifted Students (PDF), which outline the requirements that school divisions need to include in their local plan for gifted education. Each school board approves a comprehensive plan for the education of gifted students that includes the components identified by the regulations. In addition, school divisions are required to submit a copy of their approved plan at the time of the VDOE’s request for a technical review.
Information related to gifted education services is reported annually to the Virginia Department of Education by each school division. The information is combined to produce a statewide annual report which includes student demographics, program service options, and gifted education teacher or program administrator data. At the state level, the Virginia Advisory Committee for Advanced Learners (VACAL) provides guidance to the Board of Education and Superintendent of Public Instruction about the educational needs of gifted students.
Local Plan for the Education of the Gifted
Division school boards are required by 8 VAC 20-40-60A to approve a comprehensive Local Plan for the Education of the Gifted that includes the components identified in the regulations. Each school division has a gifted education coordinator assigned the responsibility of overseeing the implementation of the local gifted plan. Each year, the VDOE conducts a technical review of local gifted plans, reviewing each school divisions’ gifted plan every five years.
- Format for Gifted Local Plan (Word) – template revised July 2024
- Technical Review of Local Gifted Education Plan (PDF) – template revised November 2024
- Local School Division Gifted Education Coordinators (PDF)
- Local School Boards: Roles and Responsibilities in Gifted Programs (PDF)
- Roles and Responsibilities of Local Gifted Education Advisory Committees (PDF)
VDOE & VACEG Publications
- Navigating Gifted Education and Governor’s School Programs as a Military Transfer Student Briefing (PDF)-updated December 2024
- Educational Opportunities for Gifted Students at the High School Level(PDF)-reviewed February 2025
- Educational Opportunities for Gifted Middle School Students (PDF)-reviewed February 2025
- Supporting Teaching Twice Exceptional Students Toolkit Strategies (PDF)
External Websites
- Belin-Blank Center, The University of Iowa
- Center for Gifted Education, College of William and Mary
- Center for Talented Youth, Johns Hopkins University
- Connecting Young Thinkers Around the World, Johns Hopkins University
- Council for Exceptional Children – TAG
- Davidson Institute for Talent Development
- National Association for Gifted Children
- National Consortium of Secondary STEM Schools
- Northwestern Center for Talent Development, Northwestern University
- Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted
- Vanderbilt Programs for Talented Youth, Vanderbilt University
- Virginia Tech Center for Rural Education
- World Council for Gifted Children