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What Really Happens in Gifted and Talented Education? A Portrait of Three States

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Title: What Really Happens in Gifted and Talented Education? A Portrait of Three States
Language: English
Authors: Del Siegle (ORCID 0000-0001-5579-9217), D. Betsy McCoach (ORCID 0000-0001-9063-6835), Gregory T. Boldt (ORCID 0000-0002-6135-2689), Rashea Hamilton, E. Jean Gubbins (ORCID 0000-0002-8957-0637), Carolyn M. Callahan (ORCID 0000-0001-5056-1357)
Source: Gifted Child Quarterly. 2026 70(3):332-350.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 19
Publication Date: 2026
Sponsoring Agency: Institute of Education Sciences (ED)
Contract Number: R305C200012
R305C140018
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Descriptors: Academically Gifted, Gifted Education, Talent Identification, Alignment (Education), Special Education, Mathematics Education, Language Arts, Program Evaluation, Program Effectiveness, Elementary School Students, Screening Tests, Delivery Systems
DOI: 10.1177/00169862251370673
ISSN: 0016-9862
1934-9041
Abstract: In this in-depth, multi-state study, we examined the current state of gifted and talented education identification procedures, service delivery, and curricula in three states. Overall, we found limited alignment between identification and programming. Although districts often identify students as gifted in mathematics and/or language arts, they seldom provide specialized gifted curricula corresponding to these talent areas. This misalignment between identification and services impedes the field's ability to evaluate program effectiveness, underscoring the need for more cohesive policies and robust program evaluation. Identification of students for gifted services commonly occurs in Grades 2 or 3. Although teacher-rating systems are widely used for universal screening, we raise concerns regarding their comparability across different teachers. Pullout programs remain the dominant service model, followed by cluster grouping and push-in approaches. However, we question the effectiveness of gifted programming that offer only a few hours of services each week. Taken together, these findings underscore the importance of alignment between how students are identified and the scope, rigor, and duration of the services they receive.
Abstractor: As Provided
IES Funded: Yes
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1508270
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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PubType: Academic Journal
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  Data: What Really Happens in Gifted and Talented Education? A Portrait of Three States
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Del+Siegle%22">Del Siegle</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5579-9217">0000-0001-5579-9217</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22D%2E+Betsy+McCoach%22">D. Betsy McCoach</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9063-6835">0000-0001-9063-6835</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Gregory+T%2E+Boldt%22">Gregory T. Boldt</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6135-2689">0000-0002-6135-2689</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rashea+Hamilton%22">Rashea Hamilton</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22E%2E+Jean+Gubbins%22">E. Jean Gubbins</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8957-0637">0000-0002-8957-0637</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Carolyn+M%2E+Callahan%22">Carolyn M. Callahan</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5056-1357">0000-0001-5056-1357</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Gifted+Child+Quarterly%22"><i>Gifted Child Quarterly</i></searchLink>. 2026 70(3):332-350.
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  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
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  Data: N
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  Data: 19
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: Institute of Education Sciences (ED)
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Academically+Gifted%22">Academically Gifted</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gifted+Education%22">Gifted Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Talent+Identification%22">Talent Identification</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Alignment+%28Education%29%22">Alignment (Education)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Special+Education%22">Special Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mathematics+Education%22">Mathematics Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Arts%22">Language Arts</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Program+Evaluation%22">Program Evaluation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Program+Effectiveness%22">Program Effectiveness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elementary+School+Students%22">Elementary School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Screening+Tests%22">Screening Tests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Delivery+Systems%22">Delivery Systems</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1177/00169862251370673
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  Data: 0016-9862<br />1934-9041
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  Data: In this in-depth, multi-state study, we examined the current state of gifted and talented education identification procedures, service delivery, and curricula in three states. Overall, we found limited alignment between identification and programming. Although districts often identify students as gifted in mathematics and/or language arts, they seldom provide specialized gifted curricula corresponding to these talent areas. This misalignment between identification and services impedes the field's ability to evaluate program effectiveness, underscoring the need for more cohesive policies and robust program evaluation. Identification of students for gifted services commonly occurs in Grades 2 or 3. Although teacher-rating systems are widely used for universal screening, we raise concerns regarding their comparability across different teachers. Pullout programs remain the dominant service model, followed by cluster grouping and push-in approaches. However, we question the effectiveness of gifted programming that offer only a few hours of services each week. Taken together, these findings underscore the importance of alignment between how students are identified and the scope, rigor, and duration of the services they receive.
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  Data: As Provided
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  Data: 2026
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        Value: 10.1177/00169862251370673
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      – Text: English
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        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Gifted Education
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      – SubjectFull: Talent Identification
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      – SubjectFull: Alignment (Education)
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      – SubjectFull: Elementary School Students
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      – SubjectFull: Delivery Systems
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