Intended for professional personnel involved in the education of artistically talented students, the document presents a rationale; a selection of the most appropriate identification practices and options that involve professional resource people and school personnel; appropriate curriculum and instructional strategies for talented students at all grade levels; models for evaluation; resource suggestions; and an index of programs in and out of Connecticut, and summaries of selected programs. A rationale for special programs for artistically talented students is presented by C. Rosenstone, a consultant for New Haven's Office of Cultural Affairs. Part II (by J. Undercofler) offers a analysis of the components of artistic talent and behaviors manifested in visual arts, music, creative writing, dance and drama; as well as guidelines for school personnel on a plan for setting up an identification process for both developed and potential talent in the arts. Three programs' descriptions illustrate identification procedures and demonstrate implementation of guidelines: Educational Center for the Arts, Talent Search and Development, and Center for Creative Youth. A Third part consists of a list of guidelines for designing and developing programs for the artistically talented. Part IV is divided into two sections--one with a narrative on elementary programs (by J. Schmidt) and the other on secondary programs (by F. Bennett and T. Reid) for the artistically talented. Programs covered include the CREST Program in Lebanon, the SAGE program in Mansfield, the Norwalk Program for the Artistically Talented, the Creative Arts in Education program of the O'Neill Theater Center, Talent Search and Development, the Education Center for the Arts, and the Center for Creative Youth. In Part V, E. O'Connor and S. Esdaile discuss two models for program evaluation. A final part contains a bibliography of reference materials on the artistically talented. Appended are a collection of sample forms from existing programs; an index of al programs reviewed by the Task Force, complete with contact person, addresses, and telephone numbers; and abstracts of additional sample programs in and out of Connecticut. (SB)