Note: Gifted and talented education in this country is entirely a state affair. There is no federal legislation mandating states to provide special services to their gifted and talented students. Therefore, states are free to establish their own gifted and talented programs and their own definitions of gifted and talented students.

The Education Commission of the States (ECS) has compiled a list of each state’s Gifted and Talented Definitions, along with a chart listing different terminology used within the definitions.

Florida’s Definition:

6A-6.03019 Special Instructional Programs for Students who are Gifted

(1)  Gifted. One who has superior intellectual development and is capable of high performance.

(2)  Criteria for eligibility. A student is eligible for special instructional programs for the gifted if the student meets the criteria under paragraph (2)(a) or (b) of this rule.

1. The student demonstrates:
1. Need for a special program.
2. A majority of characteristics of gifted students according to a standard scale or checklist, and
3. Superior intellectual development as measured by an intelligence quotient of two (2) standard deviations or more above the mean on an individually administered standardized test of intelligence.
2. The student is a member of an under-represented group and meets the criteria specified in an approved school district plan for increasing the participation of under-represented groups in programs for gifted students.
1. For the purpose of this rule, under-represented groups are defined as groups:
1. Who are limited English proficient, or
2. Who are from a low socio-economic status family.
2. The Department of Education is authorized to approve school district plans for increasing the participation of students from under-represented groups in special instructional programs for the gifted, provided these plans include the following:
1. A district goal to increase the percent of students from under-represented groups in programs for the gifted and the current status of the district in regard to that goal;
2. Screening and referral procedures which will be used to increase the number of these students referred for evaluation;
3. Criteria for determining eligibility based on the student’s demonstrated ability or potential in specific areas of leadership, motivation, academic performance, and creativity;
4. Student evaluation procedures, including the identification of the measurement instruments to be used;
5. Instructional program modifications or adaptations to ensure successful and continued participation of students from under-represented groups in the existing instructional program for gifted students;
6. An evaluation design which addresses evaluation of progress toward the district’s goal for increasing participation by students from under-represented groups.

(3)  Procedures for student evaluation. The minimum evaluations for determining eligibility are the following:

1. Need for a special instructional program,
2. Characteristics of the gifted,
3. Intellectual development, and
4. May include those evaluation procedures specified in an approved district plan to increase the participation of students from under-represented groups in programs for the gifted.

(4)  This rule shall take effect July 1, 1977.

A generally accepted definition comes from National Excellence: A Case for Developing America’s Talent - U.S. Department of Education - Office of Educational Research and Improvement, October, 1993:

Introduction

"Children and youth with outstanding talent perform or show the potential for performing at remarkably high levels of accomplishment when compared with others of their age, experience, or environment. These children and youth exhibit high performance capability in intellectual, creative, and/or artistic areas, possess an unusual leadership capacity, or excel in specific academic fields. They require services or activities not ordinarily provided by the schools."

What Are Some Characteristics of Gifted Children?

Although there is no easy formula for identifying a gifted child, certain characteristics appear to differentiate the gifted child from his/her classmates. Obviously, the degree that a child demonstrates abilities in each characteristic can vary, and they may exhibit only some of these traits and do not need to be outstanding in all characteristics to be gifted.

• Early ability to read and to understand nuances in the language: A child who is gifted often reads two or more grade levels above current grade placement and reads widely in many areas or intensely in one subject area.

• Early use of advanced vocabulary: The ability to express thoughts readily and clearly is often a characteristic of a gifted child.

• Retention of a variety of information: A gifted child often amazes parents and teachers by learning new information quickly and remembering the details over long periods of time.

• Periods of intense concentration: The child can become totally engrossed in topics of interest, while being oblivious to surrounding events.

• A broad and changing spectrum of interests: The child may be involved in many self-initiated projects at the same time.

• Keen observation and curiosity: An acute awareness of self and the environment is typical of a gifted child. The child may persistently pursue a line of questioning to learn more about topics of interest.

• Complex processing of information: A gifted child is able to perceive relationships, comprehend implications, and process a large amount of information.

• Ability to think abstractly: The child can often move from concrete to symbolic representation very comfortably and at an earlier age than most children.

• Strong critical thinking skills: The child is able to perform evaluations based on established criteria and often notices discrepancies between what people say and what they do.

• Ability to follow directions and assume responsibility: A child who is gifted often shows independence, self-reliance, and responsibility in completing tasks.

• Creativity and inventiveness: The child is able to view situations from varying perspectives, develop and explore alternative approaches, and generate novel products.

• Seemingly limitless energy: Frequently a gifted child is alert and eager, delving into interests beyond the usual limitations of children his/her own age.

• Leadership: The child often assumes leadership roles in a variety of circumstances and settings.

Additional Links:

What is a Gifted? - The National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC)

What is a Gifted? - Hoagies’ Gifted Education

Giftedness and the Gifted: What’s it all about? - KidSource OnLine, ERIC EC Digest #E476

What is Giftedness? - The Gifted Development Center (GDC)

Characteristics of Gifted Learners - Florida Gifted Network

Twelve Traits of Giftedness - from the Colorado Dept. of Education - (Adapted from material from the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented and Mary Ruth Coleman, Ph.D., University of North Carolina.)

Characteristics of Gifted Children - The Rhode Island Advisory Committee On Gifted And Talented Education

Characteristics Common to Gifted Children - Rhode Island Advocates for Gifted Education (RAIGE)

Characteristics of Academically Gifted Children - Fred J. Carnage Magnet Middle School, Academically Gifted Program

What is a Gifted Child? - Carol Bainbridge

Characteristics of Gifted Children - Carol Bainbridge

Giftedness Defined - What is Gifted & Talented? - The National Society for the Gifted & Talented™ (NSGT)

What is Gifted? - Community School for the Gifted

Definitions of "Giftedness" - Nexus Research Group (NRG)