Policy is a powerful tool that guides many gifted education services and practices in states across the U.S. In addition to student services, policies can govern teacher preparation standards and qualifications for educators responsible for instructional delivery to academically talented learners. Essential to the process, institutions of higher…

Talent development plans are well-articulated representations of a district's or school's advanced learning opportunities. These plans show how a bright student progresses through the available programming and provide families with information about their child's options and opportunities. In addition to reviewing the basic pieces of a talent…

This study explored factors impacting the decision for gifted females to pursue a career in computer science. The study used a phenomenological approach to delve into the experiences of ten gifted alumnae of The Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science (Gatton), a residential STEM program, aiming to reveal nuanced insights into factors shaping…

The purpose of this study was to explore individual mindsets of elementary students and determine the extent to which mindsets reflect fixed or growth perspectives. During this qualitative study, individual interviews were conducted with third and fourth grade students, including ESL (English Second Language) students, middle class students as…

Policy and funding influence equitable education for students who are gifted. The concept of equity is examined through variations in policy and in funding at the state, district, and local levels. Challenges and barriers to equity in policy and funding include policy structures, where policy provides guidance without accountability measures, or…

Educators have sought to understand and address the disproportional representation of students from certain student subgroups in gifted education. Most gifted identification decisions are made with national comparisons where students must score above a certain percentage of test takers. However, this approach is not always consistent with the…

This article profiles public-private partnerships and networks established by the public, residential, STEM-focused Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky. Authors discuss relationships and partnerships cultivated to extend student learning opportunities beyond what public support provides. The article focuses first on…

This research responds to the call by early childhood educators advocating for more challenging mathematics curriculum at the primary level. The kindergarten Project M[superscript 2] units focus on challenging geometry and measurement concepts by positioning students as practicing mathematicians. The research reported herein highlights the…

The Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) has synthesized key data on English learners (ELs) into two-page PDF sheets, by topic, with graphics, plus key contacts. This document presents highlights relating to English learners and college and career readiness covering school-year (SY) 2011-2012. The topics for this report include: (1)…

Response to intervention (RTI) was included in the 2004 reauthorization of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), specifically as part of an assessment process to determine if a child has a disability. Although IDEA's focus is on students with disabilities, 10 states have developed policies that attend to students with gifts and…

In this article, the authors discuss Governor's Schools as an alternative for gifted students. When the word school is used, people typically think about traditional schooling. But Governor's Schools are different in the type of schooling provided and the type of students served--they educate predominantly gifted children, teach a wide array of…

As Director of the Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky for the past four and a half years, the author has had the distinct pleasure of leading an amazing group of students and staff in a residential program for high school juniors and seniors interested in advanced STEM careers. The years he has at the Gatton Academy…

The primary aim of Project M[superscript 3]: Mentoring Mathematical Minds was to develop and field test advanced units for mathematically promising elementary students based on exemplary practices in gifted and mathematics education. This article describes the development of the units and reports on mathematics achievement results for students in…

The effort to leave no child behind is a major threat to high-ability students, whose cognitive and affective needs are increasingly falling by the wayside from default, according to gifted education advocates. They argue that the No Child Left Behind Act, with its unprecedented, high-stakes focus on students performing below grade level, leaves…

To date, there has been very little research-based mathematics curriculum for talented elementary students. Yet the gifted education and mathematics literature suggest support for curriculum that is both enriched and accelerated with a focus on developing conceptual understanding and mathematical thinking. Project M[superscript 3]: Mentoring…