Purpose

• The bill changes Minnesota law to strengthen and expand gifted and talented programs and services. It adds requirements for identification, screening, acceleration options, professional development, program evaluation, and reporting. It also aims to increase funding for gifted and talented programs and services and to provide clearer oversight by the commissioner.

Main Provisions

Identification and screening

• Districts must identify students locally and develop programs and services that address both instructional and affective (social/emotional) needs.
• Districts must adopt guidelines for assessing and identifying students for gifted and talented programs. Guidelines must align with existing statute (section 120B.11) and include:
  • Universal screening for all students in targeted grades.
  • Use of multiple objective criteria and assessments and procedures that are valid, reliable, fair, and based on current research.
  • Sensitivity to underrepresented groups, including low-income students, minority students, twice-exceptional students, and English learners.
• Districts must screen all students at least twice by the end of grade 5, including students not previously identified for gifted programs.
• Beginning in the 2027-2028 school year, districts must use screening instruments or procedures approved by the commissioner. By July 1, 2027, the commissioner must publish a list of approved screening instruments and procedures and may revise the list over time.

Academic acceleration and early admission

• Districts must adopt procedures for the academic acceleration of gifted and talented students, consistent with existing law, including:
  • How to assess a student’s readiness and motivation for acceleration.
  • How to match the level, complexity, and pace of the curriculum to the student.
• Procedures must include criteria for:
  • Single subject acceleration (advancing in individual subjects).
  • Grade acceleration (advancing whole grade levels) based on readiness, proficiency, and social-emotional maturity.
• Districts must adopt procedures for early admission to kindergarten or first grade for gifted and talented learners, consistent with existing legal provisions, and sensitive to underrepresented groups.
• The bill encourages integrating gifted and talented programming with the district’s multitiered system of supports (MTSS) if the district has adopted MTSS.

Professional development

• Districts must provide ongoing professional development and training for staff on the requirements of this section, with updates to reflect current research and best practices.

Evaluation

• Districts must evaluate the effectiveness of their gifted and talented programs at least twice per year. Evaluations must collect input from students, parents, and teachers.

Reporting

• Districts must report expenditures on gifted and talented programs and services to the commissioner in the form and manner determined by the commissioner.

Funding and oversight

• The bill indicates an intent to increase funding for gifted and talented programs and services and to allocate money for these purposes. It also creates reporting and data-sharing requirements to improve oversight.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Introduces mandatory universal screening for gifted and talented identification and requires commissioner-approved screening instruments beginning in 2027-2028.
• Stresses equity by requiring screening and identification processes to be sensitive to underrepresented groups (e.g., low-income, minority, twice-exceptional, English learners).
• Establishes formal procedures for academic acceleration (single subject and grade level) and for early admission to kindergarten/first grade.
• Requires regular, structured professional development for staff tied to gifted programs.
• Adds mandatory program evaluation and district-level reporting of program expenditures to the commissioner.
• Broadly ties gifted and talented program requirements to existing statutes (e.g., 120B.11) and to other frameworks like MTSS.

Implementation Timeline Highlights

• By July 1, 2027: Commissioner must publish a list of approved screening instruments and procedures.
• Beginning in the 2027-2028 school year: Districts must use commissioner-approved screening instruments/procedures.

What This Could Mean in Practice

• More systematic and uniform identification of gifted and talented students across districts.
• Greater focus on equity in identifying who receives gifted services.
• Clear pathways for accelerating students (subject-specific or whole-grade) with attention to readiness and social-emotional factors.
• Regular staff training and district-level evaluation of programs.
• Increased data collection and reporting on program funding and outcomes to the state.

Changes to Statutes Mentioned

• Amends Minnesota Statutes 2024 sections 120B.15 and 120B.36, and related references (e.g., 126C.10, 120B.11, 124D.02) to implement these provisions.

Relevant Terms - universal screening - gifted and talented programs and services - assessments and procedures - underrepresented groups - twice-exceptional - English learners - screening instruments - commissioner - academic acceleration - single subject acceleration - grade acceleration - early admission - MTSS (multitiered system of supports) - professional development - evaluation - reporting requirements - Minnesota Statutes (120B.15, 120B.36, 120B.11, 124D.02)