Gifted and Talented

At Manara Academy, we strive to help every student reach his or her full potential. We believe that every student deserves to learn something new every day. As we recognize the special learning and social/emotional needs of gifted students, we provide an array of services, delivered through highly trained teachers and staff.

Students shall be assessed for identification as gifted and talented according to TEC §29.122; TAC §89.1; and the Student Assessment section of the Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented Students.

Students in grades K-12 are eligible for assessment and, if identified as G/T, are provided services (TEC 29.122 and 19 TAC §89.1(3));

Program Overview

In Kindergarten and first grade, identified GT students are served through the regular classroom where each teacher is trained in the initial 30 hours of GT training, along with six-hour annual updates. Teachers who are trained to work specifically with gifted students, also schedule enrichment lessons with these students as well as working with the students in their general classrooms as time allows.

All identified 2nd-6th graders are served through a two-hour per week enrichment program. The enrichment curriculum requires high-level thinking. The purpose of enrichment is to provide extended learning opportunities and challenges to students who have already mastered or can quickly master the basic curriculum.

In elementary, the GT students are clustered in groups of 5-10 in the classrooms. This gives the GT students opportunities during the week to work with other GT students in a flexible setting. Teachers use formative assessments to make decisions about grouping in their classrooms to best address the learning needs.

Parents’ Resources:

Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented

The Texas Association for the Gifted & Talented (TAGT) is the nation's largest state advocacy group of its kind, providing more than 3,000 members a forum for exchanging ideas and information about the education of G/T students. Membership is open to educators, parents, and businesses.

National Association for Gifted Children

National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) is the national advocacy group for gifted children. National Society for the Gifted and Talented The National Society for the Gifted & Talented (NSGT) is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization created to honor and nurture gifted and talented (G&T) children and youth. It is committed to acknowledging and supporting the needs of G&T children and youth by providing recognition of their significant academic and performance accomplishments and access to educational resources and advanced learning opportunities directly related to their interests and talent areas.

Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted

Supporting Emotional Needs of Gifted (SENG) is dedicated to the growth & development of the whole gifted learner.

Online Resources

Hoagie's Gifted Education Page
Hoagie's Gifted Education page is a one-stop shop for all things gifted, for educators, parents, and students.

The Gifted Guru
The Gifted Guru provides great resources for parents and educators to promote great thinking.

Duke TIP
Duke TIP is a global leader in identifying academically gifted students and providing them with opportunities to support their development.

Davidson Institute for Talent Development
The Davidson Institute is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting profoundly gifted students 18 and under.

2e: Twice-Exceptional Newsletter
This blog is from the publishers of 2e: Twice-Exceptional Newsletter, a bi-monthly electronic publication for those who raise, educate, and counsel high-ability children with learning issues such as AD/HD, dyslexia, Asperger's, and so forth.

Enrichment Opportunities for Gifted and Talented Students
Academic Decathalon (high school students)
Camp Invention 
Duke Talent Identification Program 
Math Olympiad (elementary and middle school students)
Northwestern University's Talent Search
Purdue University's Gifted Education Resources Institute
SMU Gifted Students Institute
Summer Institute for the Gifted 
Texas A&M Summer Mathematics Camp (High School)
UC Irvine's Academic Talent Search
University of Iowa's Belin-Blank Talent Search
University of Southern Mississippi Center for Gifted Students
The University of Texas at Arlington Science and Engineering Summer Camp
University of Washington'S Center for Young Scholars
Vanderbilt University Program for Talented Youth 
Western Kentucky's Center for Gifted Studies
Wisconsin Center for Academically Talented Youth