Unlocking Emergent Talent

Posted by on November 19, 2012

An opportunity that can no longer be wasted

A new report from the National Association of Gifted Children offers recommendations regarding how to better serve low-income, high-ability learners. The report spotlights strong evidence-based program models that produce performance results for these children — who are often overlooked — detailing educational best practices and identifying research and public policy gaps that, if filled, could achieve significant results for the future. The report calls on educators and policy makers to expect more than proficiency from many more students through policies, funding, and practices that consistently support high expectations and high achievement. They must also implement multiple strategies to support student achievement at the highest levels, and expand access to rigorous curricula and supplemental services and programs. Pre-service and in-service teacher training must be expanded for identifying and serving high-ability, low-income and culturally and linguistically diverse students. Emergent talent must be identified as early as possible, and communities must be engaged to support in-school learning and to supplement curriculum with outside-of-school opportunities. Finally, policy barriers that impede participation and access must be removed. A student’s zip code and socioeconomic status must no longer be determining factors in receiving a rigorous, high quality education.

See the report: http://www.nagc.org/uploadedFiles/Conventions_and_Seminars/National_Research_Summit/Unlocking%20Emergent%20Talent%20FULL%20No-Tint.pdf