Imagine this scenario: two students both test above their grade level and have similar scores in math and reading. Now, imagine that only one of these students is identified as gifted by their school. The student who is identified as gifted is then exposed to programming with unique opportunities, while the other student follows his school’s standard curriculum. Such a scenario of two equally-performing students receiving different educational opportunities, strange as it may sound, could … [Read more...] about State Policy and Gifted Education: Where Do You and Your Child Fit In?
state policy
Many Students Perform Above Grade Level
In the United States, the default education strategy is to group students by age. This assumes that students who are the same age have similar learning needs as each other and will learn best when grouped in the same classroom together. However, a group of researchers recently assessed how many students perform above grade level. In other words, they looked at how many fourth grade students could, on the first day of fourth grade, demonstrate performance at the fifth grade level. … [Read more...] about Many Students Perform Above Grade Level
Evaluation of State Policies and Programs for Gifted Students
A new report card titled Equal Talents, Unequal Opportunities has been released on what each state is doing to identify and serve its academically talented students. Published by the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, the report card gives each state a grade on its “inputs” (how much state policies support and facilitate learning for academically talented students) and its “outcomes” (whether students are reaching advanced levels of performance). Overall, they found large variation in performance … [Read more...] about Evaluation of State Policies and Programs for Gifted Students
Advocating for Your Child in School: Strategies for Every Step
Navigating a school system to ensure the best education for your child can seem intimidating, but we can help to break your process into clear, effective steps. 1. Identify the Barriers Talk to your child about what he or she is learning in school and in any gifted programming that the school provides. You may realize that the gifted program meets less than once a month or that your child feels unchallenged in class. There may be cause for concern if your child is assigned to tutor struggling … [Read more...] about Advocating for Your Child in School: Strategies for Every Step
Navigating the World of Special Education with your Gifted Student
By definition, a twice-exceptional (2e) student is one with two exceptionalities—giftedness along with a disability. Familiarizing yourself with the world of gifted education is a difficult task in itself, but when coupled with trying to understand special education options, it can be overwhelming. Unlike gifted education, in the world of special education, there are federal mandates governing the way in which students qualify for services and the ways in which school professionals deliver those … [Read more...] about Navigating the World of Special Education with your Gifted Student
State and Federal Government Definitions of Giftedness
One of the greatest concerns parents have is whether their child’s educational needs are being met. For parents of gifted students, the extent to which this happens is dictated by a combination of national, state, and local policies. … [Read more...] about State and Federal Government Definitions of Giftedness
Advocacy: From Micro to Macro
Our recent article, Administrators of Gifted Programs: Paying Attention to the "Man Behind the Curtain," offered a perspective on "Microadvocacy," which operates on the scale of the individual child. Equally important is advocacy at a macrolevel—across a district, a state, or the nation. … [Read more...] about Advocacy: From Micro to Macro
New Report on Excellence Gaps in U.S. Education
Achievement gaps have been discussed in education for decades. Performance differences across different groups of students are important indicators of how education services are being received by students. However, a new report, Mind (the other) Gap!, from the Indiana University Center for Evaluation and Education Policy takes an important new angle on this old problem. … [Read more...] about New Report on Excellence Gaps in U.S. Education
Common Core State Standards
Parents of gifted children moving to a new state may be concerned about what kinds of services and education standards will be encountered in their new home state. With each state having differing standards, evaluating new schools can be a complicated process. In an effort to create a more uniform set of education standards, the National Governor’s Association, working with Council of Chief State School Officers has recently released a draft of Common Core State Standards for English/Language … [Read more...] about Common Core State Standards
Administrators of Gifted Programs: Paying Attention to the “Man Behind the Curtain”
In the previous article about those who serve as administrators of gifted programs (AGP), the challenging nature of this role was explored, and the proposal set forth that the many demands that confront an administrator of a gifted program comprise a "Mission Impossible" scenario. Fortunately, there are professionals who are highly capable of merging the roles of leader, manager and advocate, and they are highly successful in their efforts on behalf of gifted students. Their effectiveness as … [Read more...] about Administrators of Gifted Programs: Paying Attention to the “Man Behind the Curtain”