Teaching Gifted Students
Gifted Service and Gifted Staffing Reports
State law requires the Department of Education and Workforce to publish the services offered by each school district to students identified as gifted in specified grade bands. In addition, the Department is also required to publish the number of licensed gifted intervention specialists and coordinators employed or contracted by each school district.
FY2025 Annual reports
The Gifted Service Annual Report and the Gifted Staffing Annual Report can be found on the Department’s
Annual Reports webpage.
FY2024 Annual Reports
FY2023 Annual Reports
Myths about Gifted Students
Developed by: Joy Sama, Michelle Watson, Dana Weber and Rachel Smethers-Winters
Myth: Gifted children will achieve without guidance.
Fact: Without appropriate guidance and support, gifted children may lose motivation or underachieve.
Myth: Gifted students are best served when tutoring others or when given larger quantities of work at average grade level.
Fact: When gifted students consistently tutor others, often they are not learning anything new. This can cause unhealthy self-esteem issues for both the tutored and the gifted student. Gifted children need a high degree of educational challenge, not more of an average level.
Myth: Gifted students are ‘teacher pleasers,’ are easy to teach, and will always make straight “As.”
Fact: In order for gifted students to maintain high levels of achievement, teachers must make curricular adjustments, not just give ‘more’ work. Without appropriate modifications, gifted students may develop behavior problems. Gifted students will not always achieve, especially if unmotivated.
Knowing the Student: Other Considerations about Gifted Learners
Gifted students may experience specific social and emotional considerations:
- Asynchronous development
- Underachievement
- Perfectionism
- Twice-Exceptionality
Modify Instruction and Assessment
There are three ways to differentiate standards for gifted students: teaching advanced skills and using high quality, grade-appropriate content; teaching grade-level skills and using above-grade level content; and teaching advanced skills and using above-grade level content.
A Written Education Plan (WEP) is written for students receiving gifted services. This WEP provides:
- Strategies
- Acceleration
- Concept Maps
- Compacting
- Problem-Based Learning
- Tiered Assignments/Stations
Last Modified: 11/25/2025 12:42:21 PM