Gifted and Talented Education Advisory Council

The Gifted and Talented Advisory Council advises the Commissioner and the Board of Education on meeting the special educational needs of students who are academically advanced (gifted and talented) and issues concerning academically advanced education in the Commonwealth. Made up of parents, educators, and community representatives, the Council represents a variety of interests and perspectives that support challenging learning opportunities for students. Along with the advice of members, the Council relies on research in the field by nationally recognized experts when developing recommendations for the Commissioner and the Board of Education. The work of this council supports the goal of providing a world class education for all students within the Commonwealth, in every school, across every city and town, and from all economic, racial, and ethnic backgrounds.

Council Statement

This year the Commissioner has charged the Council to make recommendations regarding:

• Best practices for identifying and motivating "beyond grade level learners" and "gifted underachievers," especially in districts and schools that have been labeled underperforming in order to help raise the college and career readiness for those populations.
• Professional development for teachers on how to address the needs of the above learners

Related Resources

Massachusetts Association for Gifted Education

National Association for Gifted Children

Neag Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development at the University of Connecticut

Center for Gifted Education at the College of William and Mary

The Framingham Public Schools SAGE Program

Institute for Learning and Teaching at UMass Boston:
Project ALERTA an enrichment program for Latino students in the Boston Public Schools

The Advanced Placement Program of the College Board

Massachusetts DESE Academically Advanced Education Page

Grant Information

There are no current grant opportunities.

Council Members

Officers