WHAT IS GIFTED & TALENTED?
All Texas schools are required to provide advanced academic opportunities for students who qualify for the Gifted & Talented (GT) program. Students are referred by a caregiver, school staff, or community member.
- Gifted and Talented refers to a child who performs or shows the potential of performing at a remarkably high level of accomplishment when compared to others of the same age, experience, or environment.
- Gifted and talented children may also exhibit an unusual capacity for leadership or high-performance capability in an intellectual, creative, or artistic area.
Think any of these apply to your child? Send us a referral!
The referral window for the 2025-2026 school year is open August 19th to October 17th, 2025.
More information and FAQs can be found here
Austin ISD’s Advanced Academics website
WHAT IS TALENT EXPLORE?
Talent Explore (TE) is a program specific to Austin ISD for students who show high potential but do not qualify for GT services. These students are identified through the same referral process as GT, and also receive advanced academic support in the classroom. TE students can retake the GT assessment in later years to see if they qualify for a higher tier of services.
HOW IT WORKS:
Referral timeline for all students
All 2nd grade students are screened for GT eligibility. Based on the results of the screener, some 2nd graders will be automatically referred to the formal GT assessment. From there, these 2nd graders will be moved through the typical referral process.
WHAT SERVICES LOOK LIKE:
Elementary students identified as GT are placed within a GT cluster classroom with a teacher who has completed GT training. GT students participate in personalized learning opportunities, including extension and enrichment activities. GT students have opportunities to work together in pairs and small groups, as well as independently.