SF5084

Purpose

Clarify who counts as gifted and talented and set requirements for how districts identify, support, and advance these students. The bill aims to ensure districts use fair, evidence-based practices and provide appropriate programs, including for students who have multiple needs.

Main Provisions

• a) Local identification and services: Districts may identify gifted and talented students locally, develop programs and services, provide staff development, and evaluate programs to ensure students receive challenging and appropriate educational experiences. This includes twice-exceptional students—those who are gifted and also have a learning or developmental disability or autism spectrum disorder.

• b) Identification guidelines: Districts must adopt guidelines for assessing and identifying students for gifted and talented programs that align with existing law. Guidelines should use multiple objective criteria and multiple assessments and procedures that are valid, reliable, fair, and based on current theory and research. They must be sensitive to underrepresented groups, including students from low-income families, minority students, twice-exceptional students, students with disabilities or a 504 plan, and English learners.

• c) Acceleration procedures: Districts must adopt procedures for the academic acceleration of gifted and talented students, in line with existing law. These procedures must include how to assess a student’s readiness and motivation for acceleration and how to match the level of curriculum complexity and pace to the student to achieve the best type of acceleration for that student.

• d) Early admission procedures: Districts must adopt procedures for early admission to kindergarten or first grade for gifted learners, consistent with existing law. Procedures must be sensitive to underrepresented groups.

Significant Changes / What the Bill Seeks to Accomplish

• Creates a clear framework mandating districts to formalize guidelines for identification, acceleration, and early admission for gifted and talented students.
• Explicitly includes twice-exceptional students in eligibility considerations.
• Emphasizes fair, research-based, and outcome-focused processes, with attention to underrepresented groups and English learners.

Impact and Who Is Affected

• Affects all Minnesota school districts and their policies for gifted and talented programs.
• Impacts students identified as gifted and talented, especially those who are twice-exceptional or come from underrepresented groups, as well as teachers and district staff involved in identification, acceleration decisions, and admissions.

Relevant Terms gifted and talented; twice-exceptional; learning disability; autism spectrum disorder; underrepresented groups; low-income; minority students; English learners; 504 plan; academic acceleration; readiness; motivation; curriculum complexity; early admission; kindergarten; first grade; guidelines; assessments; valid and reliable; staff development; 120B.11; 124D.02; 256B.0949; 125A.55