Gifted Education in Florida
- Services for students in Florida who meet “gifted” eligibility requirements are mandated by State Statute, regulated by Department of Education Administrative Rules, and funded annually by the Florida Legislature.
- Eligibility for gifted programs is governed by Florida Administrative Rule. Administrative Rules implement the Statutes and are developed by the Department of Education with public input and are voted on by the Florida State Board of Education, not the Legislature.
- In Florida, gifted education falls under Exceptional Student Education. Any rule title or phrase in a rule which states “exceptional student education” or “exceptional students” includes students who are gifted. A rule title or phrase in a rule stating “students with disabilities” does not refer to gifted students.
- Although the state of Florida currently mandates identification and services for gifted students, the types & quality of service are left to local districts and schools to determine.
- Each district adopts policies and procedures implementing the state statutes and rules. These are public documents and may be requested from your district. The title of this document is: Policies and Procedures for the Provision of Specially Designed Instruction and Related Services for Exceptional Students, often referred to as the SP & P.
