PACE stands for Plano Academic and Creative Education and is the cornerstone of the district's gifted and talented education program serving students in kindergarten through 12th grade. PACE is more than a course; it is a motivating and challenging experience that lasts over multiple years of a student's education. The PACE program provides a learning environment that nurtures the unique academic and social-emotional needs of students requiring gifted and talented services.

While all students requiring gifted and advanced services receive differentiated lessons in the general education classroom, the elementary PACE program is a pull-out program. Beginning in the second semester of kindergarten, participating students step out of the general education classroom for a defined period of time that increases as the student moves through the grade as follows:

• Kindergarten = 30 minutes each week
• First through third-grade = Two hours each week
• Fourth through fifth-grade = Three hours each week

During this time, students are exposed to district designed curriculum based on the academic and developmental needs and attributes of the individual. The PACE Specialist is the campus gifted specialist for all grade levels and is trained in the nature, needs, and social and emotional development of students requiring gifted services. 

PACE serves students who, based upon a preponderance of evidence gathered during the assessment process, perform at or show the potential to perform at or above the second standard deviation from the mean on standardized ability and achievement tests. After reviewing the data and information for each candidate, decisions are made on an individual basis by a trained campus committee. 

Referred students in K-5 are assessed in the first semester of the school year to determine January placement. 

PISD PACE site