Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 108 Part 5.djvu/331

 PUBLIC LAW 103-382—OCT. 20, 1994 108 STAT. 3821 "(2) gifted and talented students are a national resource vital to the future of the Nation and its security and wellbeing; "(3) too often schools fail to challenge students to do their best work, and students who are not chsdlenged will not learn to challenging State content standards and challenging State student performance standards, fully develop their talents, and realize their potential; "(4) unless the special abilities of gifted and talented students are recognized and developed during such students' elementary and secondary school years, much of such students' special potential for contributing to the national interest is likely to be lost; "(5) gifted and talented students from economically disadvantaged families and areas, and students of limited-English proficiency are at greatest risk of being unrecognized and of not being provided adequate or appropriate educational services; "(6) State and local educational agencies and private nonprofit schools often lack the necessary specialized resources to plan and implement effective programs for the early identification of gifted and talented students and for the provision of educational services and programs appropriate to their special needs; "(7) the Federal Government can best carry out the limited but essential role of stimulating research and development and personnel training and providing a national focal point of information and technical assistance that is necessary to ensure that the Nation's schools are able to meet the special educational needs of gifted and talented students, and thereby serve a profound national interest; and "(8) the experience and knowledge gained in developing and implementing programs for gifted and talented students can and should be used as a basis to— "(A) develop a rich and challenging curriculum for all students; and "(B) provide all students with important and challenging subject matter to study and encourage the habits of hard work. "(b) STATEMENT OF PURPOSE. —It is the purpose of this part— "(1) to provide financial assistance to State and local educational agencies, institutions of higher education, and other public and private agencies and organizations, to initiate a coordinated program of research, demonstration projects, personnel training, and similar activities designed to build a nationwide capability in elementary and secondary schools to meet the special educational needs of gifted and tsJented students; "(2) to encourage the development of rich and challenging curricula for all students through the appropriate application and adaptation of materials and instructional methods developed under this part; and "(3) to supplement and make more effective the expenditure of State and local funds, for the education of gifted and talented students.

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