Understanding Giftedness
Identifying gifted students in Texas is a thoughtful process designed to recognize their potential, not just their performance. Through referrals, screenings, and evaluations, schools look at multiple measures to get a full picture of a child’s abilities and needs. Once identified, students have access to services and learning experiences that encourage depth, complexity, and creativity.
What Does It Mean to Be Gifted?
A gifted/talented student is a child or youth who performs at or shows the potential for performing at a remarkably high level of accomplishment when compared to others of the same age, experience, or environment and who:
- exhibits high-performance capability in an intellectual, creative, or artistic area
- possesses an unusual capacity for leadership
- excels in a specific academic field
(Texas Education Code §29.121)
Traits and Characteristics
Gifted and talented children are found in all backgrounds and linguistic and socioeconomic groups. They may show their abilities in different ways and at different times. A child does not need to demonstrate every characteristic listed below to be considered for Gifted and Talented (G/T) services.
Parents may notice some of the following traits in their child at home, in school, or during everyday activities.
- Learns new ideas quickly and often with less repetition
- Asks deep or unexpected questions and shows strong curiosity about how things work
- Demonstrates advanced thinking or problem‑solving skills, including seeing patterns or making connections others may miss
- Shows intense interest in specific topics and may focus on them for long periods of time
- Uses advanced vocabulary, complex language, or sophisticated ideas for their age
- Displays creativity or originality, such as imagining new possibilities, inventing ideas, or approaching tasks in unique ways
- Exhibits a strong memory and recalls details easily
- Shows leadership potential, initiative, or the ability to influence and collaborate with others
- Expresses ideas through multiple strengths, including academics, the arts, creativity, or leadership
- May demonstrate heightened sensitivity, strong emotions, or a keen sense of fairness and justice
Giftedness may appear differently in children who are emergent bilingual, twice‑exceptional, or from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. These students may demonstrate their strengths through problem solving, creativity, leadership, or advanced thinking rather than traditional academic measures.
If you recognize several of these characteristics in your child, you are encouraged to submit a G/T nomination or speak with your child’s teacher or campus administrator about the identification process.
Expressions of Giftedness
Giftedness is not one-size-fits-all. It may be expressed in many ways, including:
- Intellectual Giftedness: Advanced reasoning and problem-solving in academic areas
- Creative Thinking: Original ideas, imaginative play, or unconventional approaches
- Leadership: Natural ability to motivate and organize others
- Artistic Talent: Exceptional skill in music, visual arts, drama, or dance
- Psychomotor Ability: High athletic potential or refined motor skills
Recognizing these traits and characteristics of giftedness can help tailor educational and enrichment opportunities.
Twice-Exceptional (2E)
Twice-exceptional learners are children who are gifted and have a disability. These students are sometimes overlooked because their strengths can mask their challenges—or vice versa.
To thrive, twice-exceptional students need both accommodations to support their learning differences and appropriate academic challenges to nurture their gifts.
Supporting both aspects helps these students grow academically, socially, and emotionally.