GT Advocate Contact Information:
Eloy Paredes
Burnet Middle School GT Advocate
Email: eloy.paredes@austinisd.org
Austin ISD GT Services
Gifted / Talented & Talent Explore
Austin ISD offers Gifted and Talented services on all campuses. GT Advocates on each campus supports teachers, students, and families with resources and information. All campuses in Austin ISD offer Gifted and Talented assessment and identification. Parents and caregivers can submit their child’s name to the Campus GT Advocate to be evaluated for Gifted and Talented services.
Students identified for GT services are protected by state law and district policy.
According to the Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented Students, Gifted and Talented (GT) refers to a child who performs or shows the potential of performing at a remarkably high level of accomplishment when compared to others of the same age, experience, or environment. Gifted and talented children may also exhibit an unusual capacity for leadership or high-performance capability in an intellectual, creative, or artistic area.
Talent Explore is a unique AISD program for students with high ability or potential in specific subject areas. Students in Talent Explore are provided opportunities to further develop their academic and creative abilities. Students are identified as TE by participating in the GT screening process. TE students may benefit from participating in future GT assessments as they continue to learn and grow.
GT Referral and Assessment Process
All campuses in Austin ISD offer Gifted and Talented screening in grades K-12 based on referrals. Anyone may submit a referral for a student; family members, teachers, community members, counselors, administrators, and even the students themselves.
For more information and the online referral link, please visit the Austin ISD Advanced Academics webpage.
Students may be identified for services in the following areas:
● STEM (Math and/or Science)
● Humanities (Language Arts and/or Social Studies)
Gifted/Talented Assessment Timeline:
August 20 - October 7: GT Referral Window
October 4 - November 3: Parent/Caregiver Observations
December 20: Parent Notification of Eligibility
January 7: Newly Identified Students Begin Services
Districtwide Standardized Services
| Elementary School | Middle School | High School |
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Acceleration: Contact Systemwide Testing (SWT) or your Campus Testing Coordinator (CTC) for questions related to grade skipping and Credit-by-Exam |
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| Grade Skipping (requires Credit-by-Exam) |
Grade or Content-Area Acceleration (requires Credit-by-Exam) |
Grade or Content-Area Acceleration (requires Credit-by-Exam) |
For more information on Acceleration, please visit the Austin ISD Advanced Academics webpage.
Enrichment & Extracurricular
Enrichment activities include opportunities that provide depth and complexity through exploration, extension, or elaboration. Extracurricular activities and organized events include opportunities outside of the traditional school day such as clubs, competitions, contests, mentorships, and internships. Campuses select which activities to offer.
Gifted and Talented Family Connection in the AISD Portal
This is a site that families can access through the AISD Portal (login required). It houses an ever expanding library of family support materials and resources. Gifted & Talented Family Connection.
Additional Resources
Growing the Gifted Newsletters:
The importance of GT Identification in Middle and High School
Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented
● Family Webinars
● Scholarships
● Advocacy
● Enrichment Programs (unaffiliated)