Gifted and Talented Education over a Half Decade of Change

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to identify some of the more significant educational as well as political changes that have taken place during the past half decade with regard to the education of gifted and talented children. In essence, the manuscript attempts to assess much of this change by examining, and where appropriate, comparing, two recently completed nationwide investigations of gifted and talented education. The first study was conducted by former Commissioner of Education, Sidney Marland, in 1971 for the United States Congress. The second was performed by The Council for Exceptional Children in 1977. Among the individual policy-related topics discussed in the article are: present statutory definitions of gifted and talented children; state identification and screening procedures; the number of gifted and talented children reported served; state and federal appropriations for these children; the number of state level personnel assigned to work in gifted and talented education; and the in-service and preservice preparation of educational personnel interested or working in this particular field. By presenting a number of the findings and conclusions of the aforementioned studies, the article provides the reader with an overall perspective as to present nature of gifted and talented education throughout the United States.