Gifted and Talented Services
GT Advocate Contact Information:
Kayla Hays, Teacher
Email: kayla.hays@austinisd.org
Austin ISD GT Services
Gifted/Talented & Talent Explore
Austin ISD offers Gifted and Talented (GT) services at all campuses. GT Advocates on each campus support teachers, students, and families with resources and information. All campuses in Austin ISD offer Gifted and Talented assessment and identification. Parents and caregivers can submit their child’s name to the Campus GT Advocate to be evaluated for Gifted and Talented services.
Students identified for GT services are protected by state law and district policy. In Austin ISD, gifted learners receive differentiated instruction from teachers of advanced courses. All teachers of advanced courses are required to complete annual professional learning to support gifted learners in the classroom.
According to the Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented Students, Gifted and Talented (GT) 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.
Talent Explore (TE) is a unique Austin ISD program for students with high ability or potential in specific subject areas. Students in TE are provided opportunities to further develop their academic and creative abilities. At the secondary level (grades 6-12), TE students are expected to take at least one advanced course per semester in one or more areas of identified strength. Students are identified as TE by participating in the GT screening process. TE students may benefit from participating in future GT assessments as they continue to learn and grow.
Students may be identified for GT services or the TE program in one or all of the following areas:
- STEM (Math and/or Science)
- Humanities (Language Arts and/or Social Studies)
GT Referral and Assessment Process
All campuses in Austin ISD offer Gifted and Talented screening in grades K-12 based on referrals.
Anyone may submit a referral for a student: family members, teachers, community members, counselors, administrators, and even the students themselves. The GT Referral Window is open from the start of the school year through early October. The assessment process continues through November, and families are notified of a service decision by a Campus GT Committee prior to winter break.
For more information, the online referral link, and specific dates and deadlines, please visit the Austin ISD Advanced Academics webpage.
Acceleration
For information on content-area or whole-grade acceleration (grade skipping), please visit the district Advanced Academics webpage.
Enrichment & Extracurricular
Enrichment activities include opportunities that provide depth and complexity through exploration, extension, or elaboration. Extracurricular activities and organized events include opportunities outside of the traditional school day, such as clubs, competitions, contests, mentorships, and internships. Campuses select which activities to offer and periodically share these opportunities with families.
Gifted and Talented Family Connection in the Austin ISD Portal
This is a site that families can access through the Austin ISD Portal (login required). It houses an ever-expanding library of family support materials and resources for GT students in grades K-12.
Gifted & Talented Family Connection
Additional Resources:
- GT Information for Families Presentation
- The GT Family Handbook and other family support resources can be found on the district website.
- GT Support Organizations (unaffiliated with Austin ISD)
- Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented (TAGT):
- Gifted Education Family Network (GEFN):