Identification Methods That Achieve Parity for Students Underrepresented in Gifted and Talented Programs in Virginia

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the identification methods that achieve parity for students underrepresented in Gifted and Talented (GT) Programs in Virginia. There are underrepresented gifted and talented students (GT) throughout the United States of America, including the Commonwealth of Virginia. Students of every ethnicity and socioeconomic status can need GT services. There is a need to increase equity in GT programs to show a representation of students that mimics the total representation in the school division. Data were collected from all 132 school divisions in Virginia and the school divisions that were not underrepresented for Black, Hispanic, and two or more-race students (Non-Hispanic) (NH) were studied further. There were 12 out of the 132 school divisions that were not underrepresented for Blacks, 16 out of 132 for Hispanics and 42 out of 132 for two or more-race students (NH). In those 70 school divisions, GT plan reports were researched for identification methods used to be accepted into the GT program. Identification methods included: which of the four area of giftedness they were admitted into, which of the seven multiple criteria were used, and which standardized test/s were taken. In this study, the identification process used in GT programs in Virginia to ascertain favorable practices to achieve parity in minority representation was researched. This updated research study was as close as possible to the Palmer (2009) study. There was an increase for all three chosen racial groups since 2009. The increase could only be one standardized test. All other results were inconclusive.