A COOPERATIVE EFFORT TO FORMULATE A POLICY STATEMENT IS REPORTED WHICH WOULD GIVE DIRECTION TO LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEMS IN IDENTIFYING THE PUPILS OF HIGH ABILITY, IN PLANNING WORTHY ACTIVITIES, AND IN ADMINISTERING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. HIGH ABILITY WAS DEFINED TO ENCOMPASS ALL KINDS OF POTENTIAL ABILITY, BOTH GENERAL AND SPECIFIC, WHICH RISE ABOVE THE AVERAGE. THE CONCEPT OF HIGHLY ABLE TRAITS INCLUDES FACTORS SUCH AS CREATIVITY AND LEADERSHIP IN ADDITION TO INTELLECTUAL SUPERIORITY AS MEASURED BY MENTAL MATURITY TESTS. THIS REPORT IS DIVIDED INTO SIX SECTIONS. THE FIRST ATTEMPTS TO SHOW THAT HIGH ABILITY HAS A UNIQUE ROLE TO FULFILL IN A DEMOCRACY AND THAT EDUCATION IS ESSENTIAL IN SEEING THAT THIS ROLE IS FULFILLED. THE SECOND SECTION SEEKS TO DEFINE THE NATURE OF HIGH ABILITY AS A BROAD CONCEPT RELATING TO UNUSUAL CAPACITY FOR ACQUIRING KNOWLEDGE, INSIGHT, AND WISDOM AND FOR TRANSLATING THIS LEARNING INTO OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN ANY OF SEVERAL LINES OF ENDEAVOR. MOTIVATION IS AN INTRINSIC FACTOR IN THIS CONCEPT OF HIGH ABILITY. THE THIRD SECTION PRESENTS BASIC CONSIDERATIONS RELATING TO THE PERCEPTION OF HIGH ABILITY PUPILS. THE DEVELOPMENT OF HIGH ABILITY, FIRST BY POINTING OUT ITS RELATIONSHIP TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF ABILITY IN GENERAL AND THEN BY HIGHLIGHTING THE FEATURES WHICH MAKE IT UNIQUE, IS DISCUSSED IN THE FOURTH SECTION. THE FIFTH SECTION EXAMINES THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF MARYLAND FOR THE HIGHLY ABLE, AND GUIDELINES FOR IMPLEMENTING THESE POLICIES ARE CONTAINED IN THE FINAL SECTION.