Pros of gifted and talented programs1/7/2024 ![]() ![]() And relying on parent referrals can disadvantage students whose parents are less able or willing to advocate for them. But multiple studies have shown that teacher referrals can be biased. Some schools rely on teacher or parent referrals for testing and placement. The selection process for gifted and talented programs varies by district. He adds: “The identification systems that we have do not appear to work very well.” Black students and low-income students with similar math and reading scores are much less likely than white or high-income students to be placed in gifted services.” “Importantly, this research also illustrates that the underrepresentation of students of color or low-income students in GATE is not driven by group-level differences in academic achievement. “My research has documented very stark inequities in placement into GATE by both race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status,” Jason Grissom, a professor of education at Vanderbilt University, wrote in an email. Black students represented 15% of the overall student population but only 8% of students in gifted education. For example, in the 2017-18 school year, white students were 48% of the public school population, according to NCES data, but made up roughly 58% of those in GATE programs, according to estimates from the U.S. Some school districts opt to have gifted students attend separate schools or classrooms, while others provide the enrichment in their home schools as an add-on to traditional studies.ĭespite the variability, statistics show that racial disparities are widespread. “In general, programs include both enrichment programs, in which students explore an area of the curriculum in more depth or in a more applied way, and acceleration programs, in which students can study areas of the curriculum that are above their chronological age,” Belson wrote in an email. States and localities generally define not only who qualifies, but also what the programs offer, according to Sarah Irvine Belson, an education professor at American University. Nationwide, white, Asian and higher-income students tend to be overrepresented in gifted programs, while other minority and low-income students are underrepresented. The National Association for Gifted Children defines gifted students as those who “perform - or have the capacity to perform - at higher levels compared to others of the same age, experience, and environment.”īut there is no universal method for deciding who qualifies as gifted, and these programs, sometimes referred to as GATE, have been plagued by racial and economic disparities. Business & Finance Click to expand menu.Īcross the country, educators, politicians and activists are debating the value and fairness of gifted and talented education programs, which were created to support K-12 students with advanced abilities who need a more challenging academic program than their peers. ![]()
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