Entering kindergarten is one form of accelerating one's path through schooling. The unique needs of young learners require policies for early entrance to kindergarten to be flexible, and options for parents to be accessible and equitable across school districts and communities. In this article, the author discusses state policies for early…

With the growth of online, virtual, and blended learning, there has been an increase in the demand for access to differentiated, quality online resources that are both student- and teacher-friendly for advanced or gifted and talented learners. The included resources have one or more combinations of exploratory, meaningful, and relevant content,…

This column describes how to differentiate differentiation using a two-step process. Step 1 differentiates the basic curriculum to meet the general traits of the gifted and Step 2 amends the selected general differentiated elements to respond to the unique differences that represent the specific gifted students to whom the curriculum will be…

The emotional intensities of gifted students affect not only their learning, but the way they live and see the world. This article examines the Theory of Positive Disintegration of Dabrowski (1964, 1972) to explore the inner world of the gifted. The five levels of development and five overexcitabilities of Dabrowski represent an abundance of…

A critical part of implementing a new instructional program is professional learning. Multifaceted training was planned and delivered to teachers in a Midwestern urban school district prior to and during implementation of an online accelerated English language arts curriculum in four middle schools. Working in partnership with two universities,…

Providing challenging curriculum in a literacy classroom of students whose reading abilities range widely can be a challenge. Integrating interdisciplinary book selections into a self-selected reading program, however, provides students with challenge by engaging them with big ideas. This article describes methods of integrating advanced…

The "EncycloMEdia" project provides a stimulating project-based opportunity for gifted and talented students in the middle and upper grades. Its first component is an arts-integration piece in the form of an altered book. The second component is a cumulative assessment document containing students' text-based analyses that correspond to…

This article presents an overview of factors that contribute to the inequitable underrepresentation of girls of color in gifted and talented with an emphasis on Blacks since they are most frequently absent. After presenting this national context, the authors present Ford's Female Achievement Model for Excellence as a gendered and racial culturally…

In 2015, the U.S. Congress passed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) that included provisions to support gifted and talented learners. The U.S. Department of Education's Consolidated State Plan template only required states to directly address the inclusion of gifted education under Title II, Part A: Supporting Effective Instruction (Section…

For all students, cognitive and social and emotional needs go hand in hand. Teachers of academically advanced students should address these intertwining needs in ways that are sensitive to what is unique about how these students think and feel. Over the years, my students have taught me several lessons about how to do just that. These lessons have…

This article examines collaboration in the context of how gifted education teachers co-plan and co-teach with general education teachers. Perspectives of the benefits and barriers to collaboration are explored from gifted education teachers, gifted education administration, and general education teachers in one school district in the Southeast…

The tool, "Elevating Instruction: A Planning Tool," was designed to aid teachers in improving literacy instruction to best meet the academic needs of all students, including advanced readers in the primary classroom. It is crucial for teachers to elevate reading practices for advanced readers during the time when young learners are…

Black male students are underrepresented in advanced mathematics programs and courses. White adults and students are the primary beneficiaries of these specialized mathematics options, thereby making them White institutional spaces. There has been a call to focus on the underrepresentation of Black male students in advanced mathematics courses.…

This article reviews recent efforts to implement the William & Mary English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum within the Paradise Valley Unified School District gifted programs. The programs include self-contained gifted, as well as content replacement programs in Title 1 and Non-Title 1 schools. Each delivery model modified the constructs of the…

Current literature on twice-exceptionality (gifted and special education) provides a general framework in understanding the experiences of gifted students with disabilities. More specifically, it highlights the challenges in identification as well as the personal and social challenges students often endure as they progress through school. However,…