What Really Happens in Gifted and Talented Education?: A Portrait of Three States

Abstract

In this in-depth, multi-state study, we examined the current state of gifted and talented education identification procedures, service delivery, and curricula in three states. Overall, we found limited alignment between identification and programming. Although districts often identify students as gifted in mathematics and/or language arts, they seldom provide specialized gifted curricula corresponding to these talent areas. This misalignment between identification and services impedes the field’s ability to evaluate program effectiveness, underscoring the need for more cohesive policies and robust program evaluation. Identification of students for gifted services commonly occurs in Grades 2 or 3. Although teacher-rating systems are widely used for universal screening, we raise concerns regarding their comparability across different teachers. Pullout programs remain the dominant service model, followed by cluster grouping and push-in approaches. However, we question the effectiveness of gifted programming that offer only a few hours of services each week. Taken together, these findings underscore the importance of alignment between how students are identified and the scope, rigor, and duration of the services they receive.

Plain Language Summary

How Students Are Identified for Gifted Programs and What Types of Services They Receive in Three States

We surveyed schools and districts in three states to learn how students are chosen for gifted programs and what kind of learning experiences they receive. We found that many students get only limited gifted services, and these services often don’t match the reasons they were selected. It’s important to choose students who will benefit from what the program actually offers. Many schools ask teachers to rate students using lists of gifted traits, but teachers tend to rate differently—some score students higher, others lower—so it’s not fair to compare ratings across teachers. That is why we suggest using multiple measures when deciding who should receive gifted services.