In view of the fact that "quality education" existed when there were
no programs for "gifted students," I do not see how the current state
of pseudo-education in the U.S. is related to a lack of resources for
"gifted students."
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courant.com/news/opinion/editorials/hc-
siegle0701.artjul01,0,4321064.story
Resources Run Short For Gifted Students
DEL SIEGLE
July 1, 2008
Being a gifted young learner should not mean you lose your right to a
quality education.
Unfortunately, the current system of accountability in education
epitomized by the federal No Child Left Behind Act creates an
environment in which the individual right to a quality education has
been all but revoked for bright students, particularly those from
underserved and disadvantaged backgrounds.
The increased focus on accountability carries some positives, namely a
much-needed change in educator behavior that has led to significant
academic progress for our lowest achieving students. But while our
political and education leader****p should be proud of these gains, a
just-released national study says that NCLB's narrow focus on low-
achieving students causes educators to ignore high-performers.
If this trend continues, nothing less than our nation's future is at
risk.
According to an in-depth analysis of eight years of National
*****sment of Educational Programs data by the Thomas B. Fordham
Institute, an education think tank, low-performing students in the
bottom 10 percent have made encouraging gains in math and reading,
while the scores of students in the top 10 percent have remained
stagnant.
Perhaps even more alarming, a companion national survey by the
institute found that a majority of our teachers do not feel adequately
prepared to meet the special learning needs of gifted students, nor do
they feel encouraged to spend time working with high-achieving
students to maximize their potential.
While no one disputes that the nation has an obligation to sup****t
struggling learners, doing so at the expense of high-performing
students =97 especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds =97
perpetuates the cycle of inequality and results in continued
underperformance.
Instead of raising the bar high by demanding that every student excel,
we have instead lowered it to basic proficiency =97 focusing outsized
amounts of resources and attention on those at the lowest ends,
leaving behind an entire population of students whose needs continue
to go unmet.
Some in education policy circles adhere to an outdated and misguided
philosophy of "gifted children will do just fine on their own."
Research and experience, however, have proved that if high-ability
students fail to receive appropriate instruction and attention, they
lose interest in school, underachieve and even drop out.
The most vulnerable students are those high-achieving learners from
underserved and disadvantaged backgrounds whose families lack the
resources and ability to compensate for the national underinvestment
in gifted education.
Cultural, language and budgetary challenges, among others, have long
resulted in underidentification of gifted learners from disadvantaged
backgrounds. Continuing to neglect the needs of gifted learners will
only guarantee that those who are identified will see few or no
resources.
For gifted students, the first challenge most often begins when they
walk into the classroom. According to the Fordham survey, 64 percent
of teachers received little to no training in gifted education in
college, and nearly 60 percent have received no professional
development focused on gifted students. Until we commit to ensuring
every child is taught by a well-qualified teacher, little else will
make much difference.
In addition to teacher training, it's time for Congress and the
administration to enact legislation that ensures all students will
have equal access to gifted education resources and services. By
setting this standard, policymakers will tell educators that they are
not only encouraged but expected to focus on excellence rather than
proficiency alone.
Ultimately, the Fordham re****t sends a clear message that if we
continue the current course of action, we will inflict irreparable
harm on our nation's strongest learners, with negative repercussions
we can only imagine.
Del Siegle is president of the National Association for Gifted
Children and is an associate professor of education at the University
of Connecticut.
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