PARRIS N. GLENDENING, Governor                            H.B. 494

Preamble

WHEREAS. In September 1993. the Maryland State Superintendent of Schools
established the Maryland Task Force on Gifted and Talented Education, which was
charged with studying the current status of gifted and talented education across the State
and making appropriate recommendations; and

WHEREAS. The Task Force recommended that the State Department of
Education provide ongoing funding for gifted and talented education services to local
school systems to assist them in meeting the needs of gifted and talented students; and

WHEREAS, The Task Force identified the selection, training, development, and
evaluation of staff who educate gifted and talented students as a critical element in any
program to provide for the special needs of these students; and

WHEREAS. The Task Force emphasized the importance of identifying students
in need of gifted and talented services, ascertaining the needs of those students, and
providing an appropriate range of services to meet their needs; now, therefore,

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article - Education

8-201.

(A) In this subtitle THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS
INDICATED.

(B) "BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL" MEANS A PUBLIC SCHOOL THAT HAS SHOWN
SUBSTANTIAL AND SUSTAINED IMPROVEMENT IN ACHIEVING OR EXCEEDING THE
MARYLAND SCHOOL PERFORMANCE STANDARDS AND HAS BEEN SELECTED BY THE
DEPARTMENT FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON SCHOOLS
PROGRAM OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

(C) ["gifted] "GIFTED and talented [child"] STUDENT" means an elementary or
secondary student who is identified by professionally qualified individuals as having
outstanding abilities in the area of:

(1)     General intellectual capabilities;

(2)     Specific academic aptitudes; or

(3)     The creative, visual, or performing arts.
[8-202.

A gifted and talented child STUDENT needs different services beyond those
normally provided by the regular school program in order to develop his THE STUDENT'S
potential.]

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