Socio-economic disadvantage can be a significant barrier to accessing high-quality dance training for young, talented dancers. Government policy and strategy relating to widening participation and talent development in the UK are premised on raising aspirations and meritocracy. This article uses Pierre Bourdieu's conceptual framework of field,…

Purpose: The present study aims to examine how a group of young leaders in Indonesia developed their leadership throughout their early and later years. In particular, the study examined focused motivation ("undeterred, intentional perseverance"), which is a common trait found in high-achieving individuals (Paik, 2013, p. 106). The study…

"Prioritizing an Integrated Approach to Educator Shortages and Workforce Diversity, Part 1: An Effective Workforce Is a Diverse Workforce" makes the case for integrating policies, programs, and practices that address teacher shortages and those that aim to diversify the teacher workforce. Three critical realities illustrate the ways in…

Access to professionals and insider knowledge of industry is most often enjoyed by students from privileged families. Higher education institutions have a moral imperative to create access for underrepresented minority (URM) students; the business case and industry demand for diverse candidates support this imperative. This paper describes an…

The youth population bulge in Kenya comes with so many challenges such as poverty, gender inequalities, political inequities, the absence of adequate health and medical resources, low educational attainment, homelessness, increased involvement in violence, drugs, and alcohol, poor physical and mental health, a lack of key life skills, premature…

NSF's new Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2022-2026 was released on March 28, 2022. To achieve NSF's vision of "A nation that leads the world in science and engineering research and innovation, to the benefit of all, without barriers to participation," the Plan lays out four strategic goals. The first, "Empower STEM talent to fully…

According to data, there are few Southern communities where a child born in poverty has more than a 6 percent chance of moving to the upper income quintile as an adult. In Network communities, 31 to 39 percent are expected to remain in the lowest bracket. Improvements to the talent development system and its surrounding ecosystem are crucial to…

As the cost of college has increased 12-fold over the past 30 years, state disinvestment in higher education has deepened. Today, learners are forced to make a tough choice: either forgo college at a time when getting a postsecondary credential matters more than ever, or join the ranks of 45 million Americans with student loan debt, who today…

This agenda is Kentucky's plan to create a more inclusive, innovative higher education system that serves students of all ages, backgrounds, and beliefs. It reaffirms the goal for 60% of Kentucky adults to have a postsecondary credential by the year 2030 and builds on unprecedented gains in degree production over the last decade. It responds to…

Neither a traditional college education nor specific occupational training is enough to ensure long-term career success. Today, individuals also need workplace experience before they enter the labor market on their own, to prepare them to navigate the world of work. COVID-19 has put the availability of these critical career readiness experiences…

Highly effective teachers and school leaders are of utmost importance to improve student achievement and ensure the success of the education system. Unfortunately, students in underserved schools are not provided equitable access to effective teachers and leaders. For this reason, many states and districts have implemented evidence-based talent…

Project OCCAMS (Online Curriculum Consortium for Accelerating Middle School) is a collaboration between the Center for Talent Development at Northwestern University, the Center for Gifted Education at The College of William & Mary, and Columbus Public Schools with a goal of providing accelerated learning in language arts aimed at increasing…

For far too long, the United States has neglected and wasted an enormous amount of human potential--much of it among groups that have never been given the opportunities they deserve. We're talking about bright students, advanced learners, striving pupils, and those with high but untapped potential--especially those who are Black, Hispanic, Native…

The coronavirus pandemic has been devastating to countless Americans, particularly people of color and those with low incomes. Young people from these communities have been especially hard hit. The work of organizations that foster young adult talent development, with a particular focus on youth of color and those from low-income communities, is…

America has a tremendous need for talent. This executive summary examines which states have implemented policy changes that can help close excellence gaps. States can and should take the lead in promoting educational excellence and eliminating excellence gaps. Six recommendations to states are presented. [For the full report "Equal Talents,…