The federal government's interest in gifted education is traced from the Education Amendments of 1969, and the effects of social forces, such as Sputnik, the "Great Society" ideal, and the economic requirements for trained, qualified, and creative personnel, is examined. Increased emphasis on gifted/talented education at the state level is noted, and the impact of judicial rulings is explored. Considered are the lack of standardization in definition and identification procedures and the need for culture free methods of identification. Teacher certification requirements for Alaska, Kansas, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania are described in an appendix. (CL)