Education and support programs for gifted children and youth (Translation of a report)

The article presents a review of the materials of the report “State of the States in Gifted Education. National Policy and Practice Data” which reflects both the state of development and support programs for gifted children in USA in 2008– 2009 and the activity of the Department of education and its branches in this area. The review includes data on methods and criteria of identification of giftedness, systems of financing and preparation of corresponding staff in 47 states. Approaches to identification of giftedness are described. Statistics on gifted children and methods of working with them from pre-school to higher level of the education system are provided. Problems in the state of American programs for education and support of giftedness, first of all, related to absence of a single state program of search and support of talented youth, are mentioned. Differences in policy lead to incoordination in the work of services both within one state and between states.