Abstract
Several educational policies and state characteristics have been cited in the literature as having a beneficial influence upon state response to gifted and talented education. These include:
1. state mandated programs for gifted and talented students.
2. state certification of teachers of gifted and talented students.
3. state plan for gifted and talented education.
4. state statutes governing the administration of gifted and talented programs.
5. state educational agency personnel assigned to gifted and talented education.
6. state utilization of Title IV-C funding for gifted and talented programs.
7. administration of gifted and talented programs through special education.
8. state definition of giftedness and talent.
9. level of state expenditures for gifted and talented education.
This study sought to ascertain the influence of these selected educational policies and state characteristics on the level of state services provided gifted and talented students and state expenditures provided to support such services observed across the states between 1977 and 1980.
Results of this investigation revealed that educational policy, per se, has had little influence upon the level of state services provided gifted and talented students across the United States. However, the selected set of educational policies exerted a moderate influence upon the level of state expenditures for gifted and talented education observed across states between 1977 and 1980. Finally, it was observed that states have become more homogeneous in their response to policy in the area of gifted and talented education over time.
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