TITLE: Designating the first full week in April as Gifted and Talented Students Week for a 10-year period beginning in 2021.

SUMMARY: Designating the first full week in April as Gifted and Talented Students Week for a 10-year period beginning in 2021.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Gifted and talented education supports the academic needs of students with a high potential for achievement, and the observance of Gifted and Talented Students Week in April provides an opportunity to celebrate the skills and accomplishments of these students and the dedication of the educators who serve them; and WHEREAS, The term "gifted and talented" refers to children and youth who have excelled in intellectual, creative, or artistic endeavors, who possess an unusual capacity for leadership, or who show promising ability in a specific academic field; studies have demonstrated that such children are capable of mastering a curriculum in less than half the time of their nongifted peers; and WHEREAS, There are currently more than 400,000 identified gifted and talented students in Texas; funding is set aside to help provide them with challenging and specialized coursework, and teachers of gifted and talented classes are required by Texas law to receive additional special training; and WHEREAS, By encouraging exceptional students to develop their individual strengths, we are investing in the leaders, scholars, and innovators of tomorrow, and this vital endeavor is deserving of the wholehearted support and commitment of all Texans; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the 87th Legislature of the State of Texas hereby recognize the first full week in April as Gifted and Talented Students Week; and, be it further RESOLVED, That, in accordance with the provisions of Section 391.004(d), Government Code, this designation remain in effect until the 10th anniversary of the date this resolution is finally passed by the legislature.