Educators, including teachers and administrators, have a responsibility to increase knowledge and achievement for all students. Gifted students who demonstrate increased abilities and proficiencies are often given less attention as schools continue to increase their focus on the lower quartile of students. To address this need, gifted programs are…

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'…

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…

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine if implicit bias among Indiana educators might affect the identification of gifted Black students for programming. Educators, within school districts with high minority populations, were asked to provide a demographic survey and then take the Implicit Association Test (IAT). Survey data were…

This action-research dissertation explored how Standard Age Scores on the "Cognitive Abilities Test™" ("CogAT®") (Cognitive Abilities Test) Screening Form of underserved populations, as identified through gifted literature, compared to those students who are traditionally overserved with mental gifted identification within the…

This research used a mixed methodology to explore elementary teachers' perceptions concerning giftedness and non-English-speaking students. The researcher surveyed Kindergarten through Grade 3 teachers on their perceptions and instructional practices about giftedness in elementary students. Participants were derived from mid- to large-size school…

Data at the national, state, and local levels all indicate disproportionately low enrollment of Black/African American students in Advanced Placement (AP) classes at the high school level. Black/African American students are missing out on educational opportunities and access to an equitable education by not participating in AP classes in high…

The problem addressed in this qualitative study is that classroom teachers are not adequately prepared to identify gifted characteristics, which leads to the underreferral of students from diverse socioeconomic, ethnic, and language backgrounds. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of public K-6 general education classroom…

The primary purpose of this study is to explore gifted education teachers' ideas when asked how they would create more inclusive practices in gifted education to include students with high potential from traditionally underrepresented populations to increase diversity in the gifted education program. The voices of gifted education teachers are…

The problem was general and special educators' perceptions of educational accomplishments and disability needs in twice-exceptional (2e) children may have possible drawbacks for referral admittance into the gifted program curriculum. Little research had been undertaken regarding the teacher perceptions of 2e on the identification process, creating…

This study examined the persistent problem of practice that ELLs are not identified for gifted programs at the same rate as their native English-speaking peers. The purpose of this research study was to investigate the relationship among English language proficiency levels and general intellectual ability of English language learners for gifted…

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the implications of the low numbers of identified gifted young, historically underrepresented students. The research questions that guided this study were: what are educators' experiences of the gifted identification process of young, historically underrepresented students? What are…

Every school has students who possess exceptional abilities; who can be considered gifted and talented. Students with special gifts and talents come from all cultural and linguistic backgrounds (Cohen, 1990). Yet as the number of Hispanic English language learners increases across the country, the number identified as gifted remains the same…

Gifted assessment practices have largely been successful in identifying White, Asian and middle-class populations in gifted education (Warne, 2015). However, these assessment practices have not been as successful in identifying gifted students who are Black and Hispanic, English language learners, and students from low-income or rural communities…

Identifying gifted students early is important so they may receive adaptations in their learning environment including admittance into gifted programs (Subotnik, Olszweski-Kubilius, & Worrell, 2012). An effective method to increase the likelihood of identifying gifted students is needed (Pfeiffer, 2003). Admission at the elementary level…