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I teach United States history in a rural high school. In our school, the student population is not very diverse, with 20% identified as African American, 70% as Caucasian, and 10% as Hispanic. In my 6 years of teaching in this setting, I have worked with gifted students in my social studies classes. Teaching these students is a joyful experience; however, I have observed a critical problem. The underrepresentation of gifted Black males within my classes is overwhelming. In my years of teaching within this school district, I can count the number of Black males who have received gifted education services, totaling about three. Although the state of Georgia has adopted a multiple-criteria approach to identification in order to identify and serve more minority students, I have not seen an increase in the number of culturally diverse students receiving gifted education services at my high school. At the current time, there is not a single Black male enrolled in the gifted program. Ford and Grantham (2003) explored the issue of the underrepresentation of culturally diverse students in gifted programs. These scholars called for a change from deficit to dynamic thinking where negative views of culturally diverse students were replaced with high expectations for success. With this change in thinking, schools would expand their views on giftedness, use instruments that are culturally sensitive, identify and serve gifted underachievers, and develop stronger relationships with parents. These efforts would lead to more culturally diverse students being identified and served. As an African American educator of gifted students, I have a personal connection to this issue, and I share my story to help shed some light on the problems facing gifted Black males in schools. My story takes place in Georgia public schools from 1992 to 2002. My father was in the military so my family moved often. Due to his assignments, we lived in Georgia before the change in Georgia's law for gifted identification took place and again, later, following the change in Georgia law. These are my experiences as a student. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)

"She's been here before," my mother would exclaim after my daughter would say or do something extraordinary for a child at that particular age. And although I would never say it aloud, I would always ponder, "She does that all of the time, but what makes that special?" Now that I have my own grandbabies, I realize that everything they do is special and extraordinary. That's what makes them grand! But I still find myself asking the question, "When do I know that it's a gift? When do I know that it really is special?Over the years, I have heard that exclamation so many times by my own relatives about the children of our family tree by people in passing, and by parents of my students. And I've come to understand that often this statement is made when children respond with uncommon understanding or knowledge about something. They offer explanations and ask questions about things that appeal to those who are far more advanced in years. I have observed many times during a lesson or read-aloud that some students may exhibit unconcern or disinterest, but during discussion, they demonstrate uncanny understanding—understanding that generated from engagement and making relationships along the way. Obviously, had I reacted on my misperception or misinterpretation, the effects could have had long-standing negative implications. I learned a lot about my daughter from asking the gifted instructor at my school about characteristics of gifted children and from my own reading and investigation. But I believe this knowledge should be readily available to teachers and parents alike. Specifically, all teachers should be educated about giftedness, if not certified, at least to the point of recognizing gifted attributes of students based on unbiased objective data. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)

An ongoing and unjust issue in the United States is the underrepresentation of Black and Hispanic students in gifted and talented education. In this chapter, we discuss barriers to recruiting and retaining these students, with a concerted focus on deficit thinking among teachers and other educators. Several theories and models are shared that are grounded in equity and cultural responsiveness in order to address human-made barriers head on and to support educators. We share our sense of urgency in helping educators be introspective, along with equity-minded and culturally responsive. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: book)

Sternberg’s transformational giftedness theory is visionary given its focus on GATE students being agents of change who use their gifts and talents in meaningful ways to address real issues. The theory merges seamlessly with several multicultural or culturally responsive theories and frameworks/models. We introduce the culturally responsive transformational giftedness model that adds multicultural consideration to Sternberg’s theory, particularly for Black students. This article offers recommendations and presents the model to complement and enhance transformational GATE students and education (e.g., identification and assessment, social-emotional and psychological development, instruction/teaching, and curriculum) via a rigorous culturally responsive framework. Undergirding this model is the notion of “good trouble” which is needed to solve real issues and problems to bring about equitable social and cultural change. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

It is a grave understatement and injustice to ignore a long-term reality that certain students of color (i.e.. Blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americans) have historically been relegated to a footnote and/or second-class status in gifted education definitions, theories, measures, and policies. Early scholarship on intelligence, and, thus, giftedness, all but ignored cultural variables. Hence, many students of color were (and are) significantly underrepresented in gifted education; this is particularly the case for Blacks and Hispanics. In this chapter, we present three frameworks to help gifted educators become culturally responsive and equitable: (1) Ford's Venn diagram of culturally responsive gifted education applied to characteristics, referrals, definitions, philosophy, evaluation, and curriculum; (2) an equity formula adopted from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; and (3) Ford's revised Bloom-Banks Matrix. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)

This reprinted article originally appeared in The Journal of Negro Education, 1995, Vol 64, 52-62. Abundant data suggest that gifted programs are the most segregated educational programs in the United States. Minority children, particularly African Americans, economically disadvantaged students, and underachievers are severely underrepresented in gifted programs but overrepresented in special education programs for the learning disabled, behaviorally disordered, and mentally retarded. The author advocates that concerted efforts must be launched by educators and parents to ensure that African American students who exhibit exceptional talent receive the education to which they are entitled. After discussing the conditions that have led to this underrepresentation, this article suggests ways to desegregate gifted education programs and redress educational inequities in this area. It then appraises the promise and effectiveness of contemporary definitions of giftedness, theories of intelligence, and assessment practices in identifying a more representative array of students for gifted programs. Finally, the article discusses what is required to retain more African American students in gifted programs. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)

In this chapter, counselors tell the story of Tianna, a gifted Black female who struggles with sibling and family responsibilities and has difficulty connecting with peers because of established cliques. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: introduction)

This reprinted article originally appeared in Exceptional Children, 1992 (Oct-Nov), Vol 59(2), 150-159. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 1993-11568-001.) Presents a schema designed to guide the development of theory, methodology, and research related to the psychoeducational assessment of African-American (AA) learners with gifts and talents. It is suggested that the philosophical world views, values, and behaviors of AAs auger for the development of assessment and identification systems that are grounded in pluralistic definitions and theories of the giftedness construct and that include cognition skills other than analytical abilities. The relationships among AA worldviews, needed psychoeducational assessment theory and methodology, and desirable assessment and identification instruments and practices are explored. Assessment paradigms, instruments, and practices most reliable and valid for identifying gifts and talents among AA learners are offered. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: create)

This reprinted article originally appeared in Gifted Child Quarterly, 1987, Vol 31(4), 180-185. (The abstract of the original article appeared in record 1989-27664-001.) Discusses the lack of representation of Black children in educational programs for the gifted. Historical precedents and lack of empirical data on appropriate identification processes and educational planning techniques are noted as part of the reason for the lack. Research data indicate that observation techniques; community involvement; and nominations by peer, parent, and teacher are suggested techniques to identify the Black gifted child. Data show that leadership skills, creativity, and mental processing abilities also indicate giftedness. Identification, curriculum, instructional environment, and evaluation are discussed in relation to the Black gifted child. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: create)

This reprinted article originally appeared in Research Monograph No 94112, 1994, Storrs University of Connecticut, The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented. The under-inclusion of economically disadvantaged and minority children in programs for the gifted has been so well documented over the years that it hardly needs recounting. Simply put, the significant and constant increases in both the number and proportion of racial/ethnic minority and economically disadvantaged children in the public school population are not reflected in programs for the gifted and talented. This monograph (a) reviews traditional identification practices, (b) examines the environmental and value differences among several cultural subgroups, (c) describes the results of an exploratory study of the characteristics of disadvantaged and limited English proficient gifted students, (d) explores gifted behaviors as they relate to specific populations, (e) synthesizes insights emerging from the Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Act, and (f) presents elements which can be used to construct a new paradigm of giftedness. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: create)

This reprinted article originally appeared in Research Monograph No 95210, 1995, Storrs University of Connecticut, The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented. The purpose of this paper is to explore a different perspective for observing and assessing characteristics of giftedness in minority, limited proficiency in the English language and economically disadvantaged student populations. First, a summary of what we know about the attributes of gifted and high achieving students from minority or economically disadvantaged families and areas is presented. Second, a proposal for focusing on core attributes that underlie the giftedness construct as a more viable basis for observing and identifying giftedness in minority or economically disadvantaged student groups is presented. A description of how a set of core attributes of giftedness was derived is also provided. Finally, implications for using these core attributes as the basis for a paradigm that better addresses the identification and education of gifted students from underrepresented populations are presented. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: create)