Programs for gifted and talented education should be guided by research-based practices, but states' policies vary in their recommendations for programming, and in how they hold local education agencies accountable for implementing those recommendations. State plans for gifted and talented education rely on the voluntary compliance of districts to…

Presented are a literature review, model, and case study for effective local program development for gifted and talented students. The model applies the research on educational change and institutional excellence to the task of developing excellent programs for gifted/talented youth in school districts of various types and sizes. (PB)

Intended to help educators create defensible, differentiated programs for the gifted, the paper analyzes the rationale for such programs and discusses program planning aspects. The following topics are addressed: the need for conceptualization of different programs for the gifted; suggested program goals; program prototypes; curricula for gifted…