New gifted education plan provides gifted programs in all schools

MIAMI – In just four months, Miami-Dade Public Schools’ (M-DCPS) Revamping Education for Gifted and All Learners (REGAL) Plan has achieved impressive accomplishments, among them:

A 26 percent increase – from 241 to 304 – in the number of home-based gifted programs, so that now every elementary, middle and senior high school in the District offers gifted services to students.
A significant increase in the number of African-American and Hispanic students enrolled in the gifted program: 35 percent and 26 percent, respectively.

A 26 percent increase in the number of gifted students receiving services, from 24,732 in 2005-2006 to 31,246 in 2006-2007.
A 16 percent increase in the number of Advanced Placement (AP) courses offered in senior high schools, from 610 in 2005-2006 to 706 in 2006-2007.

The School Board approved the REGAL Plan in June of this year. It sets forth recommendations, timelines and a budget for the successful implementation of a better gifted education program by addressing three areas: gifted education, advanced academic programs, and talent potential among all learners. The goals of the plan are to create more opportunities so that potentially gifted students from traditionally underrepresented groups may be identified, and to restructure the program to one that provides a unique, high-quality curriculum that correlates to international and global standards.