The Primary Talent Pool (PTP) is a group of students who possess demonstrated or potential ability to perform at exceptionally high levels in the primary years (P1-P4; Kindergarten through Third Grade). These students may be referred to as high-potential learners. The purpose of selecting students to participate in a Primary Talent Pool is to provide early enrichment for those students whose talents must be nurtured in order for those talents to fully develop. These students are not automatically identified as gifted once they reach the fourth grade. They must be formally identified by meeting certain criteria.

The Kentucky Gifted Regulation 704 KAR 3:285 states that "talent pool" means a group of primary students informally selected as having characteristics and behaviors of a high potential learner and further diagnosed using a series of informal and formal measures to determine differentiated service delivery needs during their stay in the primary program."

High potential learners are students who typically represent the top quartile of the entire student population in terms of degree of demonstrated gifted characteristics and behaviors. It is important to cast a wide net to find high potential learners. The PTP could include the top 5% in each of the five areas of giftedness: general intellectual, specific academic areas, leadership, creativity, visual and performing arts. Students in PTP should receive differentiated services that are matched to their needs, interests, and abilities. 

Primary Talent Pool should be infused into the primary program, and students with strengths in academic areas should receive differentiated instruction on a daily basis. Pull-out services are one service option, and this is especially useful for the areas of leadership, visual & performing arts, and creativity -- areas that may not be able to be easily addressed in the regular classroom.  Strength areas in math, reading, science, and social studies may be best serviced in the regular classroom with the support from the GT resource teacher for daily differentiation and opportunities for acceleration and enrichment.