The word GT is overused and misrepresents the current services offered. I belive the strict definition of Gifted, meaning it should be applied only to those students with test scores in the 99th percentile range (in any of the test categories) will result in appropriate services being given to those students. Statistically, the actual number of gifted kids is only about 1 or maybe 2 per classroom. The rest may be high achievers, highly intelligent, and capable of doing work at approximately 1 grade level above what the cirriculum is in the class. The 1 or 2 children that are really GT should be allowed to work to the extent of their abilities - even if they are several grade levels above, they should be permitted to "test into" higher grade Math, science or whatever they are tested to, and return to their normal classroom for the regular course cirriculum. This should be scrutinized and only offered to those students showing significant - well beyone grade level capabilities. Children with this kind of capabilty find no value in the school cirriculum (they already "know" everything that is being taught and are forced to be patient for YEARS...). The impact of holding these kids back is a national problem, we are not educating our most valuable resource for the nation's future scientists, engineers, etc.. It also impacts the children in that they are not being educated and it is the mandate of the state to provide an education to every child. For the above average students (IQ between 105 and 130), a much broader swath of the population, that can move beyond the current cirriculum up to a grade level up, they should be educated at their level as well, but forming a select group and calling them "gifted" is not appropriate. They should be given optional, advanced educational opportunities so that even children who were not initially identified have the chance to progress into above grade level courses. This should be offered on an individual subject basis. Parents should be made aware of school testing AND given information on the subject matter so that if their child would like to advance, they have clear information on where to find the materials to study. This above average, above grade level opportunity should NOT be confused or intermingled with GT. It should be called Above Grade Level Opportunity - to indicate that this is available to all who wish to achieve. This kids are distinctly different from the highly gifted who can have extreme capabilities, but no outlets for advancement. The impact of the current movement - opening GT services to a wider range of students, essentially allowing "above average" students to receive GT services is two-fold: 1) GT for a wider group holds back the truly gifted children since they still cannot work at their level and are recieving an above average cirricula not a GT one. 2) it excludes those children who were not selected. Simply put, if a child who enters kindergarten tests with a 170 IQ in non-verbal and is capable of 2nd grade Math, he or she should not be forced to sit through years of not being educated. They should be offered the special accomodation of attending a math class with 2nd graders for part of thier day in order to meet thier needs. These are the kids who truly have needs that are not being met. I know in our school 1/3 of the 3rd grade is "identified" as GT. That is absurd! The truth is there are 4 or 5 kids in the GT class who are actually GT. The devastating impact is 2/3 of the grade already feel as if they have already missed their opportunity in life. This needs to end. Above grade level work should be an open opportunity and should be referred to as "achievement" based. If a significant population of the school can perform above grade level, they should be offered the opportunity, but that opportunity should include cognitive testing as well as achievement and should not be closed, as many "average" students can strive to achieve at this level. There should not be a differentiated group for all courses, but open admission. Abolish the work GT for all but the select few who truly need those services and allow them to be an exception in order for them to learn. Start allowing above grade level achievement for ALL of those who can and want to achieve.