For ALL students

• to make the curriculum "richer" and more meaningful
• to enhance motivation
• to remove artificial boundaries that otherwise prevent students from taking their educational experiences as far as they can
• to develop skills in critical and creative thinking and problem solving to encourage students to stretch their thinking into the higher levels
• to meet individual needs and to respond to individual differences

For ANY student who has mastered the core curriculum

• to provide appropriately challenging work for students who have mastered basic skills and who acquire information faster than their classmates
• to extend learning experiences beyond the core curriculum to explore multifaceted dimensions and nuances of the content
• to explore the content in greater breadth and depth, going wider and deeper in order to accommodate specific interests and needs

For gifted students

• to tailor learning experiences to the characteristics that distinguish gifted students
• to provide complex and stimulating learning experiences for gifted students who are capable of stretching well beyond the learning abilities of their peers
• to make appropriate use of the wealth of knowledge and broader perspectives that gifted students bring to the classroom
• to help students use their time productively
• to help students maximize their capabilities in meaningful ways