Page 10 - NAESP Principal - Nov/Dec 2021

FIRST BELL N u g g e t s o f r e s e a r c h , p o l i c y, a n d p r a c t i c e t o ke e p y o u i n f o r m e d

Gifted Programs Fail to Deliver

for Low-Income, Black Students

Black students benefit less from
participating in gifted education pro-
grams than white students, according
to a peer-reviewed study released in
April by education scholars Christo-
pher Redding and Jason A. Grissom,
“Do Students in Gifted Programs Per-
form Better? Linking Gifted Program
Participation to Achievement and
Nonachievement Outcomes.”
Analyzing data for 1,340 students
who participated in elementary
gifted education programs, the
study found that gifted and talented
programs improved achievement
for high-ability students in reading
and math nationwide. In reading,
however, affluent students appeared
to get more out of gifted education
programs than students from fami-
lies with lower incomes did.
The average student receiving
gifted services saw his or her reading
achievement scores increase from the
78th to 80th percentile, irrespective
of race or income. But low- income
students and Black students in gifted
programs didn’t realize net achieve-
ment gains in reading.
Although advocates for gifted
education programs have worked
to improve access to programs in
recent years, the study findings sug-
gest that access to gifted education
programs isn’t the only issue. “It
may not just be about getting into
gifted programs, but how well the from historically marginalized student populations, the
programs serve those students once authors note. But differences in achievement suggest
they are admitted,” it says. that educators should examine their gifted education
The findings shouldn’t suggest programming to assess whether it serves the needs of
that gifted programs aren’t capable culturally and linguistically diverse students adequately.
of supporting high-ability students To read the report, visit bit.ly/3jF41IV.

•
8 N OV EM B ER / D E C EM B ER 2 0 2 1 • NAE S P. O R G