​Purpose

The Pennsylvania State Board of Education has defined the purpose of its regulations governing special education for gifted students (22 Pa. Code Chapter 16) as follows:

§16.2. Purpose

(a) This chapter specifies how the Commonwealth will meet its obligations to suspected and identified gifted students who require gifted education to reach their potential. It is the intent of the Board that gifted students are provided with quality gifted education services and programs.

(b) The Commonwealth, through the Department, will provide general supervision of services and programs provided under this chapter.

(c) The Department will disseminate information about and promote the use of promising practices and innovative programs to meet the needs of gifted students.

(d) To provide services and programs efficiently, the Commonwealth will delegate operational responsibility to its school districts. Each school district shall, by direct service or through arrangement with other agencies, provide the following:

(1) Services and programs planned, developed and operated for the identification and evaluation of each gifted student.

(2) Gifted education for each gifted student which is based on the unique needs of the student, not solely on the student's classification.

(3) Gifted education for gifted students which enables them to participate in acceleration or enrichment, or both, as appropriate, and to receive services according to their intellectual and academic abilities and needs.

The purpose of these guidelines is to assist local education agencies in meeting the requirements of the State Board's regulations set forth at 22 Pa. Code Chapter 16 - Special Education for Gifted Students. The regulations recognize that gifted students are considered to be "children with exceptionalities" under the Public School Code of 1949 and in need of specially designed instruction. The guidelines are an overview of both acceptable and best practices, procedures and policies designed to meet the learning needs of gifted students. These guidelines reflect Pennsylvania's continuing commitment to providing educational services appropriate for mentally gifted students that are consistent with their individual needs, outstanding abilities and potential for performing at high levels of accomplishment.