Giftedness refers to children who perform, or show the potential to perform, at significantly higher levels than others their age in one or more domains. This may include academics, creativity, leadership, the arts, or problem-solving. Giftedness is not just a high test score; it reflects potential, advanced reasoning, and unique ways of processing the world.
Source: National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), “Definition of Giftedness.”

Estimates vary, but most researchers agree that roughly 6 to 10 percent of children demonstrate gifted-level abilities depending on the criteria used. This equates to roughly 4.35 million to 7.25 million kids in the United States who are estimated to be gifted (though far fewer are formally identified due to insufficient programming and funding). Globally, more than 138 million children may be gifted by these metrics.
Source: National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC); national prevalence estimates from U.S. Department of Education and leading researchers such as Scott Peters and Jonathan Plucker.

How do I support my child if I suspect they’re gifted (but they haven’t been formally identified)?

You don’t need an official label to begin supporting your child—and this is exactly why Bright Kids Co. exists. Many children show gifted traits long before schools formally evaluate them. Parents are often the first to notice signs like advanced curiosity, quick learning, emotional intensity, strong memory, or deep interests, and early support at home makes a meaningful difference.

Start by nurturing your child’s curiosity. Offer books, hands-on experiences, creative outlets, and chances to explore topics they love. Watch for boredom or frustration—these often show up when a child isn’t challenged enough. At the same time, strengthen their executive functioning skills like planning, organization, emotional regulation, and flexible thinking. These skills develop unevenly in gifted learners and often require intentional guidance.

If school feels too easy or your child seems misunderstood, keep notes and examples of their behavior or thinking. When you’re ready, you can bring your observations to school to ask about enrichment, differentiation, or screening. Research consistently shows that parent observation is one of the strongest predictors of gifted identification—your insight matters.

Bright Kids Co. is here to support you long before (and long after) a formal identification. Our membership, tools, and 1:1 consulting give you research-backed strategies, executive functioning guidance, and a community that understands bright, curious, intense, creative kids just like yours. You’ll gain clarity, confidence, and practical support to nurture your child’s abilities now—not just when a school labels them.

You don’t have to navigate this alone.
Join Bright Kids Co. and feel empowered supporting your child’s unique journey.

Sources:

National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), parent referral and early identification research

Early childhood giftedness studies (Silverman; Klein & Chen)

Research on asynchronous development and executive functioning in gifted learners

Not at all. Gifted children come from every cultural, racial, linguistic, and socioeconomic background. Many also develop asynchronously, meaning their intellectual abilities may be far ahead of their emotional or physical development. This uneven profile is common and normal.
Source: NAGC; Research on asynchronous development in gifted learners (e.g., Silverman).

No. Gifted education in the United States is not federally mandated, which means access varies widely from state to state and even from one school district to the next. Some communities offer full-time gifted programs, advanced learning tracks, or specialized schools. Others may only provide minimal enrichment, and some offer no formal services at all.
Research from the National Association for Gifted Children shows that this inconsistency often leaves many advanced learners without the academic challenge or support they need. The quality and availability of services depend largely on local policy, funding, and how a district prioritizes gifted education.
Source: National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), “Frequently Asked Questions About Gifted Education.”

Many gifted traits can appear early, sometimes as young as infancy, but the timeline is different for every child. Research in early childhood giftedness shows that early indicators can be wide-ranging and may include strong curiosity, advanced verbal or nonverbal communication, early questioning, long attention spans for preferred activities, creativity in play, rapid learning, unusual memory, keen observation skills, early problem-solving, sensitivity or intensity, and deep interest in particular topics.

These traits do not need to appear all at once, and some children may show only a few early signs while others may not reveal their abilities until school age when academic demands increase.

Sources:

National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), Early Childhood Giftedness resources.

Linda Silverman, research on asynchronous development and early indicators of giftedness.

Klein & Chen, early childhood development studies noting precocious curiosity, attention, and problem-solving as early markers.

Early recognition allows schools and families to provide appropriate challenge and support. Without access to advanced learning, executive functioning support, or intellectual peers, gifted children may become bored, disengaged, or underachieve. A Harvard Graduate School of Education study highlights that when advanced learners are not appropriately challenged, they experience long-term academic stagnation.
Source: Harvard Graduate School of Education, research on academic challenge and long-term growth; NAGC.

The word “gifted” can feel uncomfortable for some families because it may sound like it places one child above another. But the term itself is not inherently discriminatory when used to describe a child’s unique abilities or learning needs. What has been inequitable, historically, is how gifted identification has been carried out in many places (check out ‘Is Gifted Education Equitable?’ in the FAQs).

It is also important to talk openly about giftedness because parents are often the first to notice advanced abilities in their child. Early signs may show up long before a school can measure them, and parental insight and advocacy is one of the strongest predictors of whether a child will eventually be identified and supported. When the term “gifted” is used as a way to understand a child’s needs—and not as a label of superiority—it becomes a tool that helps parents advocate effectively, seek appropriate learning environments, and support their child’s development with confidence.

Sources:

National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), position statements on equity and identification.

Research by Scott Peters and Jonathan Plucker on equity gaps and access to gifted programs.

Linda Silverman and early childhood giftedness research emphasizing the role of parental observation.

Harvard Graduate School of Education commentary on rethinking talent development and opportunity.

Gifted education can be equitable, but historically it has not always been. Many children with advanced abilities have been overlooked because of the way schools traditionally identified giftedness—often relying on a single test, teacher referral, or systems that favored children with more access, enrichment, or familiarity with testing.

Research from the National Association for Gifted Children shows that gifted children exist in every racial, cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic group, yet identification rates have not reflected this reality. Studies by scholars such as Scott Peters and Jonathan Plucker highlight that underrepresented students—especially children from low-income families, English learners, and students of color—are less likely to be identified, even when they demonstrate similar levels of ability.

The good news is that gifted education becomes far more equitable when schools use practices like universal screening, multiple measures of identification, local norms, talent development models, and professional development for teachers. These approaches help uncover children who might otherwise be missed and ensure that giftedness is not tied to opportunity or resources, but to actual potential.

For parents, it is empowering to know that your observations matter. Families are often the first to notice advanced abilities, curiosity, intensity, or unusual learning patterns. When parents share this insight and advocate early, it can help ensure their child receives the support they need—especially in systems still working to improve equity.

Sources:

National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), equity and identification guidance.

Peters, Plucker, and colleagues’ research on equity gaps in gifted identification.

U.S. Department of Education reports on access to gifted services.

Not always. In fact, many gifted children do not get straight A’s—and many never even get identified as gifted in the first place. Research shows that a large portion of gifted learners go unrecognized because identification practices vary widely, and many bright children mask their abilities, underachieve, or don’t fit traditional “high-performing” molds.

Even for children who are placed in gifted programs, grades do not always reflect their true ability. Gifted learners can become bored when the pace is too slow, the work feels repetitive, or they already understand the material. Others struggle with executive functioning skills like organization, planning, time management, and task follow-through. A child can think several grade levels ahead yet still forget to turn in assignments, lose materials, rush through easy work, or avoid tasks that don’t feel meaningful.

This uneven development—advanced reasoning paired with developing executive skills—can limit a child from reaching their full potential. As a result, some gifted kids earn excellent grades, while equally gifted peers may struggle academically, disengage, or appear inconsistent.

This is exactly why Bright Kids Co. exists.
Parents deserve support, clarity, and tools that help them understand how giftedness and executive functioning interact. With the right strategies and guidance, bright children can thrive not only in school, but in confidence, wellbeing, and lifelong learning.

Identification is an important first step, but it is not the whole story—and it is rarely enough on its own. Being labeled “gifted” simply means a child has learning needs that differ from typical age expectations. It does not guarantee they will automatically receive the right level of challenge, emotional support, or executive functioning guidance.

Gifted programs vary widely across schools and districts around the USA. Some offer rigorous learning; but many others may only provide small amounts of enrichment. Many gifted children continue to feel unchallenged, misunderstood, or bored even after they’re placed in advanced programming. And because gifted learners often have uneven development—advanced thinking paired with developing executive functioning skills—they may still struggle with organization, frustration, perfectionism, or follow-through, even when the work feels “easy.”

Support at home matters just as much as support at school. Parents play a key role in helping gifted children build resilience, healthy habits, emotional regulation, and executive functioning skills so they can thrive long-term—not just earn good grades.

This is where Bright Kids Co. comes in.
We help parents understand their child’s unique strengths and needs, provide research-backed tools for executive functioning and emotional development, and offer ongoing guidance so your gifted child can grow, stay engaged, and reach their full potential—far beyond the label or the program.

“2E” stands for twice-exceptional. A twice-exceptional child is one who is both gifted and has one or more learning, attention, or developmental differences such as ADHD, dyslexia, autism spectrum disorder, anxiety, sensory processing differences, or other challenges that affect day-to-day functioning or school performance.

These children often have extraordinary strengths—advanced reasoning, creativity, curiosity, deep thinking, or intense focus on topics they love—combined with struggles that can make school confusing or frustrating. Because their strengths can mask their challenges, or their challenges can mask their strengths, 2E children are frequently misunderstood, misdiagnosed, or missed entirely in traditional school settings.

Twice-exceptional learners require both challenge and support. They need opportunities to think deeply and grow their talents, while also receiving help with areas like reading, writing, attention, sensory needs, emotional regulation, or executive functioning.

Understanding 2E is essential because these children often do not fit the typical mold of “gifted” or “special education”—they are both. With the right balance of enrichment, accommodations, and emotional support, twice-exceptional kids thrive.

Source: National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), 2E position statements and twice-exceptional education research (e.g., Baum, Schader, and Owen).

No. In fact, fewer than 2 percent of teacher preparation programs in the United States require any coursework in gifted education. This means the vast majority of classroom teachers receive little to no training in how to recognize advanced abilities, how to interpret behaviors that may signal giftedness, or how to appropriately challenge and support gifted or twice-exceptional learners.

As a result, many gifted children are overlooked, misunderstood, or misidentified. Some are seen as “daydreamers,” “too sensitive,” “unmotivated,” or even “behavior problems,” when in reality they are bored, under-challenged, or struggling with asynchronous development or executive functioning. Even teachers who care deeply about their students often have not been given the tools, strategies, or professional training needed to meet the needs of gifted learners.

This gap in educator preparation is exactly why Bright Kids Co. is so important. Parents need access to reliable, research-backed guidance so they can understand their child’s learning profile, support executive functioning and emotional development at home, and advocate confidently at school. When families are informed and empowered, gifted children receive the support they need—whether or not their school is prepared for them.

Source: National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), Teacher Preparation & Training Data; Research by Plucker, Callahan, and national teacher-preparation reviews.

Many nations (such as Singapore, South Korea, Israel, and parts of Europe) have national policies, specialized schools, and well-developed talent development pathways for kids identified as gifted. Other countries rely on local schools to decide how gifted learners are served. Globally, the trend is shifting toward recognizing giftedness as a unique learning need and providing enrichment, acceleration, and social-emotional support to help advanced learners thrive. The United States does not offer any federal support for gifted children, which leads to inconsistent programming across states, district, and schools.

Source: International studies on gifted education policy (e.g., OECD reports; NAGC Global Gifted Education comparisons).

Giftedness is measured using multiple tools, because no single test can capture the full range of a child’s abilities. Schools often look at a combination of standardized tests, above-level assessments, classroom performance, problem-solving tasks, creativity measures, teacher or parent input, and evidence of advanced thinking or learning behaviors.

IQ tests are one way to identify giftedness, but they are not the whole picture. An IQ score can help schools understand a child’s reasoning abilities compared to age peers, but IQ alone does not measure creativity, motivation, executive functioning, leadership, or artistic talent. Many gifted children may not show their full ability on a single test, especially if they are twice-exceptional, anxious, bored, English learners, or have limited testing experience.

Modern gifted education emphasizes that giftedness is not just a number. It is a learning profile—a pattern of strengths, needs, and ways of thinking that often requires different pacing, deeper challenge, and strong executive functioning support. This is why schools are encouraged to use multiple measures rather than relying solely on IQ.

Sources:

National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), Identification Standards.

Research by Lohman, Peters, and Plucker on multi-criteria identification and limitations of IQ-only models.

Schools use a combination of tools to identify gifted students because no single test can capture all aspects of advanced ability. The most common assessments fall into two categories: ability tests and achievement tests.

Ability tests (sometimes called aptitude or cognitive tests) are designed to measure a child’s potential for learning. These tests look at reasoning, problem-solving, pattern recognition, verbal and nonverbal thinking, and how quickly a child can understand new concepts. Ability tests are helpful because they tap into natural strengths that may not depend on the quality of a child’s previous instruction. They are often used to identify giftedness because they provide insight into how a child thinks, learns, and processes information.

Achievement tests, on the other hand, measure what a child has already learned in school. They assess skills like reading, writing, math, and sometimes science or language usage. Achievement scores can be influenced by exposure, opportunity, enrichment, and the curriculum a child has been taught. A high achiever may earn top scores because they work hard and have had strong instruction—even if their underlying ability is not significantly above average.

For gifted identification, schools typically look at both ability and achievement. Ability tests help reveal potential and advanced reasoning, while achievement tests show how that potential is translating into academic performance. Together, they offer a more complete picture of a child’s strengths and needs.

This is why many gifted programs use multiple measures—ability tests, achievement tests, classroom performance, teacher and parent input, creativity tasks, and behavioral observations—to ensure children are not overlooked or misidentified.

Sources:

National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), Identification Standards

Research on aptitude vs. achievement testing (e.g., Lohman, Plucker, and Peters)

There is no single “best” school type for gifted children because every child’s profile and needs are different. The most important factors are whether a school can differentiate instruction, offer acceleration when needed, and support your child’s social and emotional development.

Some public and charter schools offer strong gifted programs; others offer very little. Private schools can provide more flexibility, but not all are equipped to meet the needs of advanced learners. Homeschooling can be an excellent option, especially for children who need individualized pacing or a deeper dive into their interests, but it requires parents to understand gifted traits, asynchronous development, and how to support executive functioning and emotional needs at home.

The “best” environment is the one where your child feels challenged, understood, and supported—academically and emotionally.

Many well-known innovators, artists, thinkers, and creators showed signs of giftedness early in life. People like Albert Einstein, Marie Curie, Leonardo da Vinci, Maya Angelou, Steve Jobs, Serena Williams, Yo-Yo Ma, and Elon Muskall demonstrated extraordinary curiosity, creativity, intensity, or problem-solving ability as children. Their stories remind us that giftedness is not limited to academics—it appears in science, art, athletics, leadership, entrepreneurship, and imagination.

But there’s something equally important to notice:
These individuals did not succeed only because they were gifted. Their potential flourished because they had support, opportunity, mentorship, challenge, resilience, and environments that recognized their abilities. Even the brightest minds need guidance—intellectual, emotional, and practical.

This is the lesson for parents today.
Gifted kids often think far beyond their years but still struggle with executive functioning, emotional regulation, perfectionism, or boredom. Without proper support, many disengage or underachieve—even when their potential is enormous. With the right tools, understanding, and community, gifted children thrive in ways that honor their creativity, intensity, and unique minds.

This is why Bright Kids Co. exists.
Our membership and consulting services give parents the research-backed strategies, emotional insight, and executive functioning support needed to help bright children grow into their full potential—not just academically, but as whole, thriving humans.

Giftedness is a starting point.
Support is what turns it into possibility.