The program development guide provides general information about Project ESURG (Exemplary Systems Unique for Rural Gifted), a program serving approximately 365 intellectually gifted students (grades K through 8) within a 4 county, 500 square mile area of Nebraska. The principle of gradually implementing a gifted education program is explained in the introductory chapter. Chapter 1 explains the four year program plan: year 1--direct classroom servie by ESURG staff through identification of gifted students, presentation of direct instruction at 26 sites, and presentation of a graduate level survey course in gifted education; year 2--local teacher internship within the classroom which provided 15 "contact teachers" with experience and graduate credit for sharing teaching and managerial responsibilities for the ESURG class in their school; year 3--local assumption of project with ESURG staff members providing support to local programs through monthly meetings, periodic visitations, plus frequent telephone calls; and year 4--maintenance at local level with current information and inservice provided by ESURG central staff. Chapter 3 describes principles of the differentiated curriculum, vertical and horizontal enrichment, and teaching strategies (such as use of "boundary breakers" as questions and guided fantasies). Ways to foster critical thinking are discussed in the fourth chapter. Chapter 5 provides aids to help the teacher's own personal assessment. The final chapter gives principles for encouraging creative production such as combining convergent and divergent thought. (DB)