Critics of such programs claim that the students who are already motivated to learn receive the most talented teachers and best resources.  [Joy] Berry argues that academically gifted children are “driven towards intellectual exploration and discovery and they cannot be derailed. They are so resourceful at getting their needs met. They will seek out libraries, museums, and experts for those conversations.”

Advocates for gifted education disagree, responding that gifted programs are more than just enrichment for successful students. “The myth that gifted children will be okay on their own … is just that – a myth,” Jane Clarenbach, public relations director of the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC), has noted. “We’re failing to develop the talent of some of our top students, which leads (for some of them) to underachievement and lack of interest in school.”

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