With a focus on raising the test scores of the lowest performing students, schools sometimes do not reach the gifted students. While common sense might argue that gifted students will manage regardless of their educational environment, gifted students can easily fall through the cracks.

When we speak of “gifted students” we are not just, or even necessarily, talking about high performing students. We are talking about students whose educational needs are different enough from the general population that they require a special plan to appropriately address those needs.

Like arts programs, gifted programs are often seen as “extras” to be cut during difficult economic times.

While gifted programs may have important benefits for gifted students, they are not in and of themselves a plan for a gifted student’s education. A gifted student’s educational needs may be met with or without a formal gifted program.

My concern about the elimination of gifted programs is that we are removing an important resource that can engage gifted students in school. Gifted students, especially those who are members of traditionally marginalized minority groups and lower socio-economic families, have a disturbingly high drop out rate. One of the common reasons cited is lack of investment in the school and its social environment. Gifted programs can help these students understand their own learning process, promote self-esteem and confidence, and connect these students with their school community.

Gifted programs are not just training camps for smart kids to increase already high test scores, they are resources to help meet the needs of individual students and giving them access to an appropriate educational environment.