2013 NAGC-CEC Teacher Preparation Standards in Gifted Education

The 2013 teacher preparation standards delineate important emphases within a program of study in gifted and talented education for pre-service or in-service educators seeking their initial preparation in this field. Each set of underlying emphases is described by knowledge and skills essentials to the work of personnel preparation and provides additional text elaborating on the intent and scope of the standard. 

Standard 1 begins with a gifted professional’s understanding of individual learning differences focusing on how language, culture, economic status, family background, and/or disability impacts

the learning of individuals with gifts and talents. Based on these understandings gifted education professionals respond to learners’ individual needs. 

Standard 2 emphasizes the nature of multiple learning environments for gifted learners. This includes creating safe, inclusive, and culturally responsive environments for all learners. These environments provide the framework for a continuum of services that respond to individual’s gifts, talents, motivations, cultural, and linguistic differences. 

Standards 3, 4, and 5 focus on gifted education professionals’ knowledge and implementation of the learning process. Standard 3 emphasizes educators’ knowledge and use of core and specialized curricula to advance learning for individuals with gifts and talents. Standard 4 concentrates on assessment, both for identifying individuals with gifts and talents and also the types of assessment used to differentiate and accelerate instruction. Standard 5 focuses on the selection, adaption, and planned use of a variety of evidence-based instructional strategies to advance learning of gifted and talented individuals. 

Standard 6 emphasizes the use of foundational knowledge of the field and professional ethical principles as well as national Pre-K-Grade 12 gifted education programming standards to inform gifted education practice to engage in lifelong learning, and to advance the profession. 

Finally, Standard 7 focuses on gifted education professionals’ collaboration with families, other educators, related-service providers, individuals with gifts and talents, and personnel from community agencies in culturally responsive ways to address the needs of individuals with gifts and talents across a range of learning experiences.

NAGC Materials to Support Programs Preparing Teachers in Gifted Education

Read the research support for the 2013 standards.

Download the 2013 Standards

Sample rubrics to evaluate teacher candidates on mastery of the 2013 standards

• Sample rubric for meeting standard 4
• Sample rubric for case study assessment

In the NAGC Bookstore