Advocacy Program

Presentation Part: 2
EDUC 526 Principles and Practices in Gifted Education
January 30, 2019
Liberty University
Agenda

I. Greeting
II. Introduction of School Board Members
III. Purpose of Meeting
- Discussion of Gifted Program in our School System
IV. Presentation on Gifted Education
V. Close Meeting
 Advocacy
Presentation For
Gifted Students
What is Gifted?

• Children are gifted when their ability is significantly above the norm for
their age. Giftedness manifest in one or more domains such as; intellectual,
creative, artistic, leadership, or in a specific academic field such as
language arts, mathematics or science (National Association for Gifted
Children).
Giftedness Continued:

• It is important to note that not all gifted children look or act alike.
Giftedness exist in every demographic group and personality type. It is
important adults discover potential and support gifted children (National
Association for Gifted Children).
- Culturally, linguistically, and economically diverse gifted children
are not easy to identify, often remain invisible (Rimm, 2018 p.266).
 Problems Gifted Children Faces
• Difficulty with social relationships
• Conformity pressure – hiding talents in
order to be accepted by peers’
• Anxiety
• Difficulty in accepting criticism
• Nonconformity and resistance to
authority
• Lack of sufficient challenge in school
• Perfectionism
• Refusal to do routine, repetitious
assignments.
• Excessive competitiveness or
avoidance of competition.
• Poor study habits
• Difficulty with self understanding
and self discovery.
• Difficulty understanding the nature
and significance of intellectual
differences.
(Rimm, 2018 p.348)
 Recommendations for Gifted Student Programs:
Within the Schools
• Funding
• Written Statements
• Goals and Objective Selection
• Designed relevant acceleration and enrichment
activities
• Installing Gifted Program Models
• Creation of nomination forms, rating forms, or
questionnaires for identification
• Proper representation of different
student groups
• Designing of Program Evaluation
Procedures
• Selection and Creation of instruments
for program evaluation
• Promoting good public relations
(Rimm, 2018 p.80)
Giftedness

Nationally
• Federally the Jacob Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Act passed by
Congress in 1988 as part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and was
most recently reauthorized through Every Student Succeeds Act to support the
development of talent in U.S. schools. The Javits Act, is the only federal program
dedicated specifically to gifted and talented students, does not fund local gifted
education programs. Javits is funded through September 30, 2019. In March
2019, the Administration proposed to cut Javits for federal fiscal year 2020
(National Association for Gifted Children).
Giftedness

The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) recommendations for

Congress:
• Provide $32 million to fund the Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented
Students Education Act in the Fiscal Year 2020 appropriations bills (Issue
Briefs).
Giftedness

State Level
• The National Association for Gifted Children defines Giftedness in North
Carolina as, Academically or intellectually gifted students, “exhibit high
performance capability in intellectual areas, specific academic fields, or in both
intellectual areas and specific academic fields. Academically or intellectually
gifted students require differentiated educational services beyond those ordinarily
provided by the regular educational program. Outstanding abilities are present in
students from all cultural groups, across all economic strata, and in all areas of
human endeavor. (North Carolina Gen. Stat. 15.1-32-01) (National Association
for Gifted Children.)
Giftedness

State Level
• North Carolina has had legislation related to Academically and/or Intellectually Gifted (AIG) close
to fifty; NO Federal Legislation (Academically and/or Intellectually Gifted).
• Close to $70 million continues to be funded to Local Educational Agency (LEA), (Academically
and/or Intellectually Gifted).
• Article 9B, N.C.G.S. § 115C-150.5-.8, mandates identification and services for AIG students; local
plans to be written every three years; provides a state definition, no state criteria; and mandates that
DPI provides comments and guidelines (Academically and/or Intellectually Gifted).
• Currently, there are 172,947 AIG students in NC. This represents ~12% of our total student
population (Academically and/or Intellectually Gifted).
Giftedness

• Traditionally gifted activities such as creativity and other thinking skills are
being brought into the regular classroom for all students. Some activities
and experiences are uniquely suited to unusually bright students with
keen interests and high motivation (Rimm, 2018 p.71).
Statistics on Giftedness
State Education Agencies
Reporting Department (n=41, multiple response possible)

Exceptional Students
5%

Gifted (Separate from

Special/General)
14% Curriculum and Instruction
36%

Curriculum and Instruction

Special Education
17%
General Education

Special Education

Gifted (Separate from

Special/General)
Exceptional Students

Vocational/Technical
General Education (Gifted By State, 2015)
28% Other
 Staffing For Gifted Education
Number of State Education Agencies Employees Devoted Full Time to Gifted
Education (n=41)
One full or Part Time
Employee Have one or more full time
2% Employees
2% No Full Time
Employees

Least one or
Less Full or
Part Time
Employees

One full or
Part Time
Employee
Least one or Less Full or Part
Time Employees
37%
Have one or
(Gifted By State, 2015)
No Full Time Employees more full time
59% Employees
 Funding for Gifted and Talented
State Funds to Local Education Agency (LEA)for Gifted Education
(n=34)

$50 million or more

$30 million to $49.9 million 6% No Funding
No Funding
15% 35%

Less than $1 Million

$1 million to $9.9
million

$10 million to 29.9

million
$10 million to 29.9 million
15%
$30 million to $49.9
million

$50 million or more

$1 million to $9.9 million Less than $1 Million

23% 6%
(Gifted By State, 2015)
Recommendation for Improvement

• Update federal law to standardize state and district level reporting on how gifted
and talented student are served and how they progress year after year (National
Association for Gifted Children.)
• Federal funding guidelines to require teacher training and professional
development to ensure that all teachers are able to identify and serve high ability
leaners (National Association for Gifted Children).
• Update state laws and policies to remove impediments that restrict gifted students
from accessing appropriate services(National Association for Gifted Children).
• State requirements so that all teachers and counselors are required to have greater
levels of pre-service preparation in how to identify and serve gifted learners
before entering the classroom (National Association for Gifted Children.)
Looking Ahead
Conclusion
References
 References

• Academically and/or Intellectually Gifted (AIG) Update. (n.d.). Retrieved June, 2019, from
http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/docs/advancedlearning/aig/resources/presentations/sbe-aig-
jan2012.pdf

• Chan, C. (2003-2019). Children Drawings Background[Chrome HTMl Document].

• Gifted By State. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://nagc.org/information-publications/gifted-state

References Continued

• Issue Briefs. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.cec.sped.org/Policy-and-

Advocacy/Current-Sped-Gifted-Issues/Issue-Briefs

• Rimm, S. B., Siegle, D., & Davis, G. A. (2018). Education of the gifted
and talented(7th ed.). New York: Pearson.

• What is Giftedness? (n.d.). Retrieved June, 2019, from

https://www.nagc.org/resources-publications/resources/what-giftedness