Early gifted education matters.  Students who receive an enriched gifted education frequently continue to achieve later in life.  Early childhood programs such as gifted preschool are important because they allow gifted and talented children to receive the appropriate level of academic challenge and affective support from a young age.  

This interactive session will discuss how one large school district in the southwest created a Gifted Pre-K Academy to meet the academic and social-emotional needs of its early learners.  Educators will learn how a portfolio of assessments supports equitable student placement.  Discover how gifted frameworks emphasizing play and interest-based learning provide individual student challenge within a developmentally appropriate environment.  Educators will learn how the Gifted Pre-K Academy elevates instructional practice throughout the entire K-2 grade band.  From planning to action, gifted coordinators and administrators will walk away with foundational ideas to start their own gifted preschool program.