The purpose of this study was originally to create an operational definition of the "appearance of competence" to design valid questions for educational professionals supporting twice-exceptional (2e) learners to create a testing instrument. Through the methodological process of grounded theory, a replacement research question emerged as…

This study examined the association between principal leadership styles and academic achievement in gifted education schools. There is scarce literature specific to academic achievement in gifted education schools. The primary research question addressed in the study was, "does an association exist between leadership style and academic…

This qualitative study examines beliefs regarding the ethics of gifted education strategies and teacher training to ensure high-quality education for diverse students, and to analyze the perceptions of best instructional practices for gifted education, as well as the ethical considerations of gifted education to ensure fidelity of education.…

A school's culture evolves over time and guides the ways in which those who interact within the school think, feel, and act. It is grounded in shared meanings, foundational beliefs, and value systems created by a school (Deal & Peterson, 2009). The principal plays a key and critical role in influencing and shaping school culture. The…

This quantitative quasi-experimental study, adopting a pretest/post-test control/treatment group design, investigated the efficacy of instructional strategies for developing divergent thinking in gifted and talented students within K-6 heterogeneous cluster classes. It specifically explored the problem of insufficient evidence-based approaches for…

Teachers are focusing on students struggling to meet grade-level standards and are often ignoring the gifted students in their classroom. The problem addressed in this study was that the educational needs of elementary level gifted students are largely ignored by classroom teachers because teachers often focus more intently on students who are…

Acceleration is one of the best-supported interventions available to gifted education practitioners internationally. However, the acceleration program in Saudi Arabia is still highly fluid and could benefit from additional revision. The purpose of this research was to explore Saudi stakeholders' perceptions regarding their lived experiences with…

Because students need 21st-century skills, this mixed methods study aimed to compare gifted service models and their effect on the development of student creativity in elementary school. The quantitative research phase was conducted through a pretest-posttest design using the "Torrance Test of Creative Thinking, Figural." Student…

This dissertation investigated teacher perceptions of the Advanced Academics Review and Referral process within a large urban school district. The study focused on the elementary level of implementation of the district process for identifying students for gifted education/advanced academic services. The study discloses gaps in teachers'…

12 teachers, representing five schools in a district, shared via individual interviews their insights regarding giftedness and the needs of gifted students. These interviews explored the characteristics of giftedness and gifted education, the needs participants identified through their experiences with their students, the choices participants made…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand SWSD administrators' perceptions of the practices and identification criteria that exacerbated this underrepresentation, guided by a culturally responsive school leadership framework. For this basic qualitative design, eight SWSD administrators with direct knowledge of the GATE programs…

This study explored the identification and placement of historically underserved students (HUS) in Gifted and Talented (GT) programs in the State of Missouri. The researcher investigated if there was an inconsistent implementation of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) suggested approach to enhance equitable…

Known for decades but with minimal change, the underrepresentation of minority and low socioeconomic students in gifted programs has been a concern that needs to be brought to the forefront and addressed. Despite increasing diversity in schools and heightened attention to equity, the ongoing apprehension of underrepresentation remains. This…

According to the Civil Rights Data Collection, during the most recent data collection for 2020-2021, Black girls were nationally represented in gifted education at 9%. While White girls were defined at 55%, Hispanic/Latina girls at 19%, and Asian girls at 10%, Black girls appear in gifted education as the most underrepresented major subgroup in…

This research aims to examine current practices in gifted and talented educator professional learning, as well as teacher attitudes, beliefs, and experiences towards gifted education in order to explore opportunities to further develop and improve professional learning structures. Through a qualitative methodology following the…