Options for Middle School and Secondary Level Gifted Students

The research on talent development demonstrates both the importance of outside-of-school experiences and the contribution of specific kinds of experiences to the development of high levels of academic talent. Currently, secondary school programs for the gifted are not built on this research. It is critical that schools coordinate with and utilize other institutions in their talent development programs for gifted children, develop the means by which students can readily partake of outside programs, and create policies and remove obstacles in order to facilitate children's participation in outside-of-school programs.