Legacy of Leadership: The Diane Harris Gifted & Talented Program

The Diane Harris Gifted & Talented Program at Universal Academy was established to honor the extraordinary legacy of our beloved Founder, Chief Educational Officer, and Founding Superintendent, Mrs. Diane Harris. With a remarkable career that spanned over 52 years, Mrs. Harris dedicated her life to advancing excellence in education and nurturing the unique potential within every child. Her service to education began in Chicago and extended across Kentucky, Spring Branch ISD, Denton ISD, and Irving ISD, where she held a variety of instructional and leadership roles. A former Gifted and Talented (GT) Director and advocate, she later served at Region 11 Education Service Center, helping to shape instructional practices across Texas. Through each role, Mrs. Harris remained unwavering in her belief that all students are gifted in their own way and that it is the responsibility of educators to discover, cultivate, and celebrate those gifts.

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^‍The Diane Harris GT Program reflects her lifelong passion for rigorous academics, teacher training, and the firm belief that opportunity and excellence should be accessible to all. Today, the program stands as a living tribute to her vision: a comprehensive initiative that identifies, supports, and challenges advanced learners while honoring the diversity of their talents whether academic, creative, or leadership-based. At Universal Academy, we believe that giftedness is not limited to a single definition. Like Mrs. Harris, we know that when students are given the right tools and encouragement, their potential becomes limitless. Her legacy continues through every teacher and student she inspired because of the program that bears her name.

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Texas Education Agency

Welcome to the gifted/talented (G/T) education webpage. The state's goal for G/T students is to ensure that students who participate in G/T services demonstrate self-directed learning, thinking, research, and communication skills. G/T students develop innovative products and sophisticated performances that reflect individuality and creativity and are targeted to an audience outside the classroom.

A gifted/talented student is a child or youth who performs at or shows the potential for performing at a remarkably high level of accomplishment when compared to others of the same age, experience, or environment and who

• exhibits high-performance capability in an intellectual, creative, or artistic area;
• possesses an unusual capacity for leadership; or
• excels in a specific academic field. (Texas Education Code §29.121)

The following G/T resources assist local education agencies in certifying to the commissioner that the district has established a program for G/T students as required by rule, and it is consistent with the Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented Students (State Plan) under Texas Education Code Section 29.123 and the use of the funds on the district’s program for G/T as provided by the State Board of Education rule.

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Texas State Plans

Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented Students (English)

Texas State Plan for the Education of Gifted/Talented Students (Spanish)

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Resources

Texas Gifted and Talented Program Implementation Resource

Guidance for Interpreting the Expectations of the Texas State Plan

Equity in Gifted and Talented Education

TEA Gifted and Talented Education Resources

Texas Performance Standards Project

Gifted and Talented Teacher Toolkit

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