According to the Texas Education Agency, “the state’s goal for GT students is to ensure that those students who participate in GT services demonstrate skills in self-directed learning, thinking, research, and communication. GT students develop innovative products and sophisticated performances that reflect individuality and creativity and are targeted to an audience outside the classroom.”
“A gifted and talented student is a child or youth who performs at or shows the potential for performing at a remarkably high level of accomplishment when compared to others of the same age, experience, or environment and who exhibits high performance capability in an intellectual, creative, or artistic area, possesses an unusual capacity for leadership; or excels in a specific academic field” (Texas Education Code §29.121).
See Also: Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented Students (Texas Education Agency)