Office for Civil Rights

Ensuring Equal Access to Gifted Education

Summary of Issues and RecommendationsMary Ruth Coleman, Ph.D.

FPG Child Development InstituteUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Disproportionate under-representation persists in programs for gifted children, despite the growing proportion of students from culturally/linguistically diverse families in the population of school-aged children

National Research Council (2002)

Increasing understanding that characteristics of a child can not be judged with the “fixed-trait” model that has historically been used. The context of the child must me considered.

National Research Council (2002)

Major Issues-Gifted Education

Identification of Students Placement Decisions Program Participation Program Implementation

Appropriate Identification Notice to Parents and Care Givers Screening/Student Search Planned Experiences for Students Multiple Criteria (not Multiple Hoops to Jump)

multiple sources multiple time periods multiple types (including alternative

assessments)

Placement Decisions Appropriate service option match

based on needs Multiple criteria inform decision (a

single piece of evidence can be used to match a child to appropriate services but NO SINGLE piece of evidence can be used to deny appropriate services)

Personnel Preparation for decision makers

Program Participation Appropriate procedures:

continuation of services exit criteria

Equity in access across service/grade levels

Support mechanisms to reduce self-selection out

Program Implementation Quality of services is equitable—

not dependent on “address”

Personnel Preparation for all with a role in the process

Data-Informed Decision-Making

Data-Informed Decision-Making

Determine baseline data District overall and by school Service delivery option, grade level Program referrals, participation, and

withdrawals by race, ethnicity, language status, gender, and disability

Compare with District and school enrollment by race,

ethnicity, language status, gender, and disability

Fair Rules and Regulations are a point of departure not a destination

Building school level capacity (to observe, understand, and respond to student differences) is essential

Progress must be documented and monitored

National Research Council (2002)

Remember That: A child’s achievement and behavior

is determined by the interaction of the child, the teacher, and the classroom environment

It also goes beyond the classroom: schools, school systems, families, and communities all play a role in shaping a child.

National Research Council (2002)

Question

Does schooling independently contribute to the incidence of giftedness among students in different racial/ethnic groups through the opportunities that it provides?

National Research Council (2002)

AnswerYes – Schools with higher concentrationsof low-income and culturally/linguisticallydiverse students have fewer well-trainedteachers, lower per pupil expenditures,and fewer opportunities for advanced andenriched coursework.

National Research Council (2002)

Advocacy Starts with Each of Us

Recognize the Problem Have the Courage to Speak-out Build Your Coalition of Support Establish Your Baseline Data Don’t Give Up Until You Have Made

the Difference You Want to See!

Looking at your progress

Self-assessment Review all policies that impact Plan your approach Plan for improvement Implement changes Ongoing review

Recommendations for Gifted Education

(1) Research on early identification and intervention with children who exhibit advanced performance in the verbal or quantitative realm or who exhibit other advanced abilities.

(2) Teacher quality and certification/licensure

(3) Rigorous professional developmentNational Research Council (2002)

To make the changes it will take:

(1) Investment in building the capacity of teachers and other educational professionals

(2) Changing incentives and standard practices in the assessment processes so that children are identified early, when they can be helped most effectively

(3) Compliance monitoring that focuses on treatments in both general and special education (p. 10-4)

National Research Council (2002)