Systemic Inequities in Identification and Representation of Black Youth with Gifts and Talents: Access,Equity,and Missingness in Urban and Other School Locales

Abstract

Recognizing civil unrest linked to systemic institutional inequity and gentrification of urban centers, this study examined access to, equity in, and missingness from gifted education of Black youth. With more than 80% of Black youth educated in cities and suburbs, underrepresentation in gifted programs plague urban centers. Examination of OCR Data by Title I School status revealed 45% fewer Black students identified in Title I Schools. Additionally, in every state and school locale, Black youth were underidentified on average by 50%. In 2016, 276,840 Black students were identified as gifted, with as many as 771,728 (73.60%) missing from identification.

Keywords

special education programs Black and African American students urban education diversity social justice,poverty racism urban youth development gifted education underrepresentation

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