Gifted Education Left Behind?
NAGC has endeavored to inform the debate at the district level about advanced learners for more than five decades. In February 2007, the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) dedicated its entire issue of The School Administrator to "Gifted Education Left Behind." The groundswell of discussion that ensued led to this compilation of resources for administrators and their staff.
The articles and myriad links to valuable resources are just a few clicks away—all offered to pave the way for districts to offer an appropriate level of education for every child.
"Professional development (of teachers) is essential—and the great thing about this is— when you train teachers to work with gifted children, they're better prepared to work with all students."
— Eugene White, Past President
American Association of School Administrators
Resources for Administrators
There are many resources available that provide educators the tools needed to plan, design, implement, and evaluate gifted education programs -- all key elements of successful gifted education services. Qualified personnel working with gifted learners also, are essential to high-quality services. District leaders must plan for professional development and educational opportunities, communicating a clear purpose and common goal that is endorsed by curriculum coordinators, classroom teachers, gifted resource specialists, counselors, and other district staff. This support is essential to the success of programs and services for high-ability learners.
This February 2007 issue of The School Administrator focuses on the theme:Are High-Ability Students Being Challenged – Or Left Behind? In an era of No Child Left Behind, NAGC welcomes the conversation, so critical to advanced learners across the nation. Click on the magazine cover to the right to view the articles.
Designing Services & Programs for High-Ability Learners: A Guidebook for Gifted Education, published in 2006, is described as THE comprehensive guide to establishing or strengthening a gifted education program! This volume is an invaluable resource for your library, as it addresses key features of gifted programming, from design to student identification, curriculum design to counseling, and evaluation to budgeting.
- "Ten Things All Administrators Should Know About Gifted Children" by Joyce VanTassel-Baska
handout from Superintendents' Forum on Gifted Education 2007 Annual NAGC Convention
Also the topic of a September 23, 2009 NAGC Webinar on Wednesday.
- The links below will guide you through the process of establishing and designing a program for high-ability learners. The links to the left direct you to specific web pages related to the topic area listed. There you will find guiding principles, suggestions for applying the NAGC Pre-K--Grade 12 Gifted Program Standards, key questions, and stories and advice from the field. Please note that the Gifted Program Standards are being revised. The new standards will be available September 2010. If you are currently revising your gifted program based on the standards, please contact NAGC. The links to the right, Related Resources, provide you with a small sampling of books, professional papers, and conference recordings should you choose to explore the topic further.
The development of appropriate gifted education programming requires comprehensive services based on sound philosophical, theoretical, and empirical support.
Gifted learners' abilities must be assessed to determine appropriate educational services.
Gifted education services must include curricular and instructional opportunities directed to the unique needs of the gifted child.
Gifted education programming must establish a plan to recognize and nurture the unique socio-emotional development of gifted learners.
Gifted learners are entitled to be served by professionals who have specialized preparation in gifted education, expertise in appropriate differentiated content and instructional methods, involvement in ongoing professional development, and who possess exemplary personal and professional traits.
Program evaluation is the systematic study of the value and impact of services provided.
Program Administration and Management
Appropriate gifted education programming must include the establishment of a systematic means of developing, implementing, and managing services with an emphasis on: