The Status of Gifted Education in New Jersey: Analysis of the 1988-89 Gifted Education Survey (original) (raw)
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1990
The New Jersey State Department of Education administers a Gifted Education Exemplary aad Demonstration Grant Program in which successful applicants are awarded grant funds to enable them to prepare materials for dissemination to teachers of Ole gifted statewide. This dlcument presents profiles of the 35 programs selected for 1987-88, 1988-89, and 1989-0. Each profile includes the following information: subject area(s) and grade level(s), program overview and materials, identification procedures for student selection, and names of the school district and individual to contact for further information. The programs covPr the curricular areas of science,
Is there still a need for gifted education? An examination of current research
Learning and Individual Differences, 2010
What recent research has been conducted about gifted and talented students and their learning experiences in school? As we complete the first decade of the new century we are entering a time when much attention is focused on remediation and test preparation; it only seems appropriate to reflect upon what has been learned about gifted education during the last few decades and consider the compelling evidence that may or may not support special services for gifted and talented. Consensus on which research themes and studies should be included in this type of examination would difficult to reach, but we have identified six important themes that are discussed in the article. This review of research strongly suggests that the need for gifted education programs remains critical during the current time period in American education when our nation's creative productivity is being challenged by European and Asian nations.
Http Dx Doi Org 10 1080 15377903 2012 643757, 2012
Definitions of what constitute students who are gifted and talented as well as policies and procedures to identify these high-ability students play a critical role in determining which individuals actually receive gifted services. This article reports on a national survey of how state policies and practices define giftedness, identify gifted students, and accommodate for gifted minority group students. Results indicate substantial changes in definitions and categories of giftedness over the past decade. Results also reveal variability in identification methods, with a majority of states using a 3-5% cutscore for demarcating giftedness while endorsing a multiple cutoff or averaging approach to gifted decision making. Most noteworthy is the fact that at present, no state advocates using a single-score decision-making model for gifted classification. The authors discuss the implications for school psychology.
Toward A New Era of Gifted Education: Principles, Policies, and Strategies
Turkish Journal of Giftedness and Education, 2019
Gifted education as we know and practice is by and large the product of early 20th century. In this paper, I am arguing for a paradigm shift in gifted education to make it more responsive to the challenges of the 21st century, as well as new opportunities for optimal development of many children and adolescents, rather than exclusively focusing on the identified and selected few (often in a once-and-for-all fashion). This argument is based on the preponderance of evidence that human potential is widely distributed in a population, and highly pluralistic and dynamic, not amenable to a uniform formula that fits everyone into a Procrustean Bed of giftedness with the assumption of its homogeneity and permanence (Dai, 2016a). I elaborate on what it takes to make such a shift in terms of four W questions: What, Why, Who, and How. I argue that by envisioning a broader agenda of gifted education, gifted education can be made more equitable and productive. At the social and organizational le...
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2017
Gifted education programs are diverse with respect to their structure and foci. This diversity is reflective of the field itself. With this large, multi-state study, we surveyed practices employed in elementary schools (N = 2,293). Differences were observed in the implementation mechanics of reading/English language arts and mathematics curriculum. Interrelationships between program structures emerged (e.g., existence of separate gifted math curriculum and pull-out instruction, ( = .16). Schools reported a focus on 21st century skills and enrichment techniques while neglecting acceleration strategies and cultural responsiveness. Lastly, we observed a number of statistically significant relationships between program structures and the foci used in gifted programs. These relationships may reflect underlying beliefs in the field. Introduction Gifted education programs in elementary schools take a variety of forms. They cut across many dimensions including: the identification process, ...
1993
This study analyzed state policies on the identification and education of gifted students as reflected in legislation, regulations, rules, recommendations, and guidelines provided by 49 states. The elements examined include: (1) state mandated services, (2) district plans for the gifted, (3) gifted education as part of special education, (4) philosophy or rationale, (5) definitions of gifted and talented, (6) identification procedures, (7) progr,.'as for the gifted, (8) differentiated curriculum and instruction, (9) counseling and other support services, (10) parent involvement, (11) program evaluation, (12) teacher education and certification, and (13) state funding for the gifted. The analysis indicated that all states have formulated policies that support education of the gifted and talented but that considerable variability among states exists with respect to specific components. Major recommendations are made in the following areas: establishing challenging curriculum standards; providing high-level learning opportunities; ensuring access to early childhood education; offering extended opportunities for economically disadvantaged and minority children; providing teacher training and technical assistance; and matching the high performance of similar students throughout the world. (Contains 76 references.) (DB)
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Handbook of Giftedness in Children, 2008
This chapter provides an overview of the history of federal legislation that has influenced gifted education and presents the current status of gifted education policies in the USA. The legal processes that parents can use in seeking appropriate identification and services for their children are discussed along with a synthesis of case law pertaining to gifted education. The chapter concludes with an examination of the role of the Office for Civil Rights in resolving disputes and the presentation of several issues that may shape the future of gifted education policy.
SERVING THE GIFTED: A NATIONAL SURVEY OF SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS
Gifted students are among the most underserved population in American schools and are some of the most underperforming in the world, ranking last in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Algebra, and Geometry among 13 other developed countries. To improve services for the gifted, possible gaps in training and service delivery must be identified. There is a lack of research addressing many of the practical aspects of the delivery of services to the gifted. There is also a lack of research examining how well school psychologists are prepared to provide services to gifted and talented students. We conducted a national survey of school psychologists to evaluate the amount of time school psychologists allocate for gifted assessment and consultation. We also collected information about graduate school and professional development on gifted topics, familiarity with prominent figures in the gifted field, and gifted assessment methods. C 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Many argue that gifted students are undervalued by American society and that they are targets of negativity by those who advocate for equality in education (Gallagher, 2008; Sternberg, 1996). The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act (2002) focuses on bringing all students to academic proficiency by 2014. As a result, school districts are likely to focus their limited resources on assisting low-performing and even " average " students, while neglecting students who are performing above average, but not necessarily near their potential. In fact, according to the most recent " State of the States " report, published by the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC, 2009), NCLB was rated as one of the most negative factors impacting gifted education. Because the federal government is not involved in funding a national program for gifted education, states are left to cover the cost of these programs. However, according to the NAGC (2009), a majority of states rely on local rather than state funding for gifted education. Sternberg (1996) reports that 99.9% of special education funding is channeled to the low end of the ability continuum, and Winner (1997) poignantly notes that only 2 cents out of every $100 spent on special education is spent on gifted programs. Recent budget cuts due to the economic downturn have also negatively impacted gifted education. The NAGC (2009) reports that during the 2008-2009 school year, 18 states had no specific funding allocation for gifted programs. Furthermore, although states establish mandates for gifted education, only six of those report fully funding that mandate. The majority of respondents to the NAGC survey (36 of 48) reported that gifted funding was one of the greatest needs of attention in gifted education. In addition to a lack of funding, psychology and education have not yet agreed on a uniform definition of " gifted. " Pfeiffer (2001) reported that experts in the gifted field indicate a " lack of consensus on how to conceptualize and define the gifted and talented " and " problems with the identification process " (p. 176) are two prominent assessment issues. Borland (2005) describes giftedness as a chimera—a social construct of questionable validity; Feldhusen (2005) conceptualizes gifts as genetic potentials that unfold in interaction with stimulating experiences; and Gardner (1983) has popularized the notion of multiple intelligences that can be used to identify broad categories of gifts. In 1971, the Marland Report recommended that a minimum of 3% to 5% of students should be classified as gifted based on IQ scores, although more recent authorities advocate for giftedness representing more than a score on one test (
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Journal of Science Education and Technology, 2000
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