This handbook is intended to aid in development of educational programs for gifted students in New Hampshire. The handbook is divided into seven sections. Section I, provides material regarding the specific policies that authorize and pertain to gifted education in New Hampshire and offers resources to assist educators in describing the present status of gifted education in their area. Section II includes an overview of the nature and goals of gifted education, the rationale for gifted education, and the fundamental beliefs upon which the handbook's guidelines were established. Section III examines preparation considerations to establish a sound foundation for planning efforts, such as setting priorities and gathering and analyzing data. Section IV examines the nature and purposes of the planning process. It outlines who should be involved in planning, reviews planning tasks, and provides a checklist to monitor planning progress. Section V discusses major responsibilities and tasks at the district level such as promoting shared decision making and creating a master plan. Section VI addresses the extension of district-level criteria to the local school or building level and proposes seven indicators of excellence in programming. Section VII, discusses plan implementation and management, evaluation and long-range planning, and communication and school-community relations. Appendices include: "Summary of Planning Tasks,""References" (over 70); "Parent Handout on Contemporary Programming,""Assessing the Nurturing Students' Interests" (Talent Checklists),"Guidelines for Cooperative Agenda Meetings," and "Sample Forms and Resources from Selected Programming Models." (JDD)