Although Educating Gifted Students in Middle School: A Practical Guide, by Susan Rakow (Prufrock, 2005), is written for educators, parents can glean from it excellent information about what shapes middle school educational policy and how to bring recommendations to their child’s middle school. Rakow addresses specific legislation and reports, such as the No Child Left Behind Act and Turning Points 2000: Educating Adolescents in the 21st Century, which have beleaguered the proponents of gifted education. She discusses how the interpretation and implementation of such laws and publications have been detrimental to high-ability students. Rather than rehash bad policy and its outcomes, Rakow suggests specific strategies, based on standing research, for carrying out the recommendations of the Turning Points 2000 report for the benefit of gifted students. In addition, she advocates for holistic institutions that maximize the potential of all learners.
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