Section 52200.

(a) The Legislature finds and declares that it is in the public interest to support unique opportunities for high-achieving and underachieving pupils in the public elementary and secondary schools of California who are identified as gifted and talented. The Legislature further declares its intent that special efforts be made to ensure that pupils from economically disadvantaged and varying cultural backgrounds be provided with full participation in these unique opportunities.

(b) In addition, it is the intent of the Legislature to improve the quality of existing programs for gifted and talented pupils and to provide for experimentation in the delivery of the programs, including a variety of programmatic approaches and cost levels. It is also the intent of the Legislature to provide for the identification of gifted and talented pupils by individual school districts in a variety of ways so long as this does not serve to diminish the quality of programs for individual pupils.

(c) The Legislature is committed to the belief that programs for gifted and talented pupils should include all of the following:

(1) Differentiated opportunities for learning commensurate with the gifted and talented pupil's particular abilities and talents.

(2) Alternative learning environments in which gifted and talented pupils can acquire skills and understanding at advanced ideological and creative levels commensurate with their potentials.

(3) Elements that help gifted and talented pupils develop sensitivity and responsibility to others.

(4) Elements that help to develop a commitment in gifted and talented pupils to constructive ethical standards.

(5) Elements that assist gifted and talented pupils to develop self-generating problem-solving abilities to expand each pupil's awareness of choices for satisfying contributions in his or her environment.

(6) Elements that help gifted and talented pupils develop realistic, healthy self-concepts.

(Added by Stats. 1989, Ch. 494, Sec. 2. Effective September 18, 1989.)