Advocacy is important in order to have policy that establishes best practices at the local, state, and national levels. Planning an advocacy initiative includes setting the goal, crafting the advocacy message, having a point person for coordinating communication, researching the individual or group that can make the decision to put the initiative…

Acceleration is an effective approach for many high ability students, and it can be especially beneficial for Black students. Upstander teachers are those who recognize educational crises and the problem of overlooked and underdeveloped gifts and talents of Black students in regular and gifted education programs. They proactively identify Black…

This column is devoted to the top ten issues that parents face in educating their gifted children in school settings. VanTassel-Baska describes how parents in partnering with others can collaborate with their child's teacher, the school, and administrators. The author encourages parents to advocate for advanced curriculum, a variety of high school…

A formal partnership between a state-level umbrella association of educational administrators and one of its constituent associations, the association of gifted education administrators, has resulted in successful legislative and policy advocacy for gifted education. The formal partnership encouraged leaders of the gifted education professional…

This article presents a view of barriers to effective gifted program evaluation resulting from ineffective tools for measuring growth in gifted students and the human barriers confounding the evaluation process. The role of advocacy in the design, implementation, and utilization of evaluation studies is examined. Long held beliefs and biases…

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…

The invitation to write a brief summary highlighting Belin-Blank Center partnerships that support talent development in youth led my mind to channel the 1946 Frank Capra movie, "It's a Wonderful Life." The existential storyline from that classic film reveals the merit of relationships when considered from the vantage of nonexistence. The…

I have four children, three of whom are twice exceptional in the context of the new Community of Practice (2e CoP) definition highlighted in this issue. I share a personal story of a parent's journey in persistence, partnerships, and the provision of unconditional love.

The new definition of twice exceptionality by the National Twice-Exceptional Community of Practice (2e CoP) is a tool that will facilitate communication and collaboration for practitioners in the regular classroom, gifted education specialists, administrators, and professors. In this article, the author shares his experiences in several of these…

As a recent college graduate with my bachelor's and master's degrees completed within the last 2 years, I am currently in my first full year of teaching. My first experience working with a twice-exceptional student was during my college practicum, and it was that student who changed my whole outlook on teaching.

Early recognition and formal identification of gifted children are important in helping them learn during their primary years and preventing disengagement and negative attitudes toward school. This is especially the case for children from low-income, racially, linguistically, and culturally different backgrounds. In this article, we suggest some…

School systems' central office administrators sometimes take paths that seem easiest, even when it is clear the paths will not lead to sustained positive results that are needed--particularly in terms of twice-exceptional (2e) students. To appropriately address the needs of 2e learners, we must ensure that central office administrative services…

As a special education coordinator of students with learning disabilities, I come into contact quite frequently with students who are considered twice exceptional. My role is to provide support to teachers on how to best meet the needs of the students with special needs in my school district. It is imperative that collaboration occurs between…

As the field of gifted education has grown so too have the number of organizations and resources serving gifted children. Their prevalence across the United States varies from region to region but organizations for gifted children and their families are available to those who want to be involved. The Internet has exponentially expanded the…

The author describes key issues and uncommon concerns about the Common Core State Standards that fit within two categories: philosophical and pedagogical. Philosophically, Common Core State K-12 Standards should not be expected to be mastered at a specific grade level but based on developmental readiness. Pedagogically, Common Core State Standards…