Identifying Gifted Students From Underrepresented Populations

The identification of gifted and talented students from those populations that are underrepresented in programs for the gifted (minorities, children from low socioeconomic status environments, students with limited English speaking ability) is a problem that needs to be examined as the complex issue that it is rather than as a problem that can be solved with a single, silver-bullet answer. In examining this issue, the first step is to look at the inter-related factors that influence the process: definitions of giftedness, the use of 1-shot paper-and-pencil assessments, the inherent biases in policies and procedures, and the lack of coordination of curriculum with identification and placement procedures. Then, critical steps in bringing about change can be proposed. The solutions proposed are structured around increased advocacy for underrepresented students and attention to current research.