The District defines gifted students as those who perform, or who show the potential to perform, at significantly advanced levels of accomplishment when compared with students their comparable age and background. These students exhibit high performance capacity in intellectual ability, and/or a specific academic field. Gifted students are represented in all racial, ethnic, disability groups and across all socioeconomic strata. They require specialized instruction, services, and/or activities not ordinarily provided by the general education program to maximize their academic and social, and emotional pursuits. (Aligned to the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) definition)

Core beliefs about gifted children

• Gifted children are unique and are as different from one another as they are from the population as a whole.
• Gifted children exist in all cultural groups, at all economic levels, among populations with other special needs, and in all areas of human endeavor.
• Gifted children learn differently and require special educational experiences to grow academically and achieve their highest potential. 
• Gifted children, because of heightened intellectual and social-emotional intensities, need support and encouragement from individuals who recognize, validate, and nurture their giftedness. 

U-46 provides a variety of gifted programs to ensure that every high-achieving student has an opportunity to excel.

• IGNITE: Inquiry and Gifted Network for Ingenuity Talent and Exploration (IGNITE) and its Dual Language counterpart are school-within-a-school programs for 4th, 5th, and 6th-grade students who demonstrate achievement or specific academic aptitude in the areas of Mathematics and English Language Arts and perform beyond the norm for their age group.
• Middle School Gifted: Gifted services continue through 8th grade with Gifted Sites at all U-46 Middle Schools; 5 of which also house Dual Language Gifted Programs.