At YISD, all educators who work with students daily take the state-required initial 30 hours of professional development (PD) in: 

• Nature and Needs of Gifted and Talented

• Identification and Assessment

• Creativity and Instructional Strategies

• Differentiated Curriculum

• Social and Emotional Needs

After completing the 30-hour foundational core, educators continue receiving 6 hours annually of PD in GT education.  Administrators and counselors also receive 30 hours of foundational core and 6 hours of PD on the nature and needs of GT students and service options for G/T students. 

The purpose of gifted and talented training is to learn how to meet the needs of GT students by modifying the depth, complexity, and pacing of the curriculum for GT students.  Teachers learn how to differentiate instruction for GT students in the regular classroom.