{"id":47152,"date":"2026-04-28T19:46:26","date_gmt":"2026-04-28T19:46:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bondahx.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/28\/districts-relying-more-on-data-to-identify-gifted-students\/"},"modified":"2026-04-28T19:46:26","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T19:46:26","slug":"districts-relying-more-on-data-to-identify-gifted-students","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bondahx.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/28\/districts-relying-more-on-data-to-identify-gifted-students\/","title":{"rendered":"Districts Relying More on Data to Identify Gifted Students"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>A group of third grade students gather around a board game on a Wednesday afternoon in a Charleston classroom, grabbing game pieces, discussing potential moves and reading out playing cards. The games are not Monopoly, Sorry, or any others of yore \u2013 they\u2019re focused on identifying, and boosting, students\u2019 strengths and weaknesses. <\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s part of a shift in school districts\u2019 gifted and talented programs. While many programs focused on a small group of high achieving students, instructors across the nation are now focusing more on inclusion, using data to help them zero in on students\u2019 talents, a method that has the potential of capturing more students for advanced instruction. <\/p>\n<p>For Vanessa Hill, the gifted education coordinator for Amphitheater Public School District in Tucson, Arizona, focusing on strengths and weaknesses helps to solve what she sees as a universal problem with gifted identification. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cSomething I\u2019ve been thinking deeply about that tends to be a universal problem is that gifted identification does not match the metrics of your district,\u201d says Vanessa Hill, the gifted education coordinator for Amphitheater Public School District in Tucson, Arizona. \u201cI\u2019m constantly thinking of that, so our demographics can get closer. This new tactic is about exposure to critical thinking and reasoning \u2013 what does that look like, how to reason through a problem?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Re-assessing the methods and ultimately changing the definition of \u201cgifted\u201d comes as some question <a href=\"https:\/\/www.edsurge.com\/news\/2017-08-31-what-happens-when-standardized-test-scores-don-t-reflect-student-growth\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">the value of standardized tests<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.edsurge.com\/news\/2025-11-20-orders-lawsuits-rulings-districts-struggle-with-dei-amid-a-flurry-of-legal-actions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">a push-and-pull to diversify programs<\/a>. <\/p>\n<h2>The Shift In Gifted and Talented<\/h2>\n<p>The gifted and talented programs run the gamut of names and acronyms depending on the district, including advanced learning program, TAG (talented and gifted), LEAP (Learning Enrichment Alternative Program) or REACH (Realizing Excellence through Academic and Creative Help), among others. <\/p>\n<p>Regardless of the name, the program has undergone several major shifts over the last few decades. Schools previously often only selectively tested students, often at the behest of involved parents or by a teacher recommendation. That brought a large amount of inequity in the programs, with many moving to a universal screening practice. Some states, including <a href=\"https:\/\/fordhaminstitute.org\/national\/commentary\/how-washington-state-passed-universal-screening-law-interview-austina-de-bonte\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Washington<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stlpr.org\/government-politics-issues\/2026-02-10\/missouri-house-passes-legislation-requiring-gifted-screenings-for-children-in-schools\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Missouri<\/a>, made it a state mandate to test all students while in elementary school. The screening practice itself evolved from an IQ test to aptitude and ability tests, though how accurate those are is up for debate. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cSociety is really unequal along socioeconomic and racial and ethnic lines, and these tests are just reflecting that,\u201d says Scott Peters, director of research consulting at NWEA, a nonprofit education assessment organization. \u201cYou can change tests all day long, but at the end of the day, you can&#8217;t give some kids three years of $40,000-a-year preschool and also wonder why this kid that&#8217;s never been to school until first grade doesn&#8217;t do as well.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Often, schools\u2019 gifted and talented programs do not represent their overall school population and <a href=\"https:\/\/direct.mit.edu\/edfp\/article-abstract\/19\/4\/692\/117489\/Gifted-amp-Talented-Programs-and-Racial?redirectedFrom=fulltext\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">instead skew heavily<\/a> toward white and Asian students. Zohran Mamdani, the widely-watched mayor of New York City, made it part of his platform <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/10\/02\/nyregion\/mamdani-schools-gifted-and-talented-program.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&amp;referringSource=articleShare\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">to phase out<\/a> gifted and talented programs because of the inequity. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cUltimately, my administration would aim to make sure that every child receives a high-quality early education that nurtures their curiosity and learning,\u201d he said in a 2025 statement to the New York Times. <\/p>\n<p>There is no silver bullet test that accounts for inequality and a child\u2019s upbringing, although Peters said when factors such as income, race and other equity gaps are controlled in tests, most inequities disappear. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis isn&#8217;t a factor of, \u2018Oh, there are students of color scoring high, but they&#8217;re still not getting in,\u2019\u201d he says. \u201cIt&#8217;s that there&#8217;s not enough students of color scoring high because of that larger societal inequality issue.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Because of the often-skewed gifted and talented population, schools are shifting toward \u201ctalent development\u201d with all students, versus focusing on strengthening some students\u2019 already solid skills. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cBecause of the baggage of the past, we\u2019re moving toward a new perspective where we\u2019re identifying the strengths of students \u2014 whether academic, social or emotional \u2014 versus people for a program,\u201d says Kristen Seward, clinical professor in gifted, talented and creative studies at Purdue University. \u201cAnd I think this twist in how we approach education as gifted researchers is going to benefit everybody.\u201d <\/p>\n<h2>Using Data for \u2018Talent Development\u2019<\/h2>\n<p>Developing talent for gifted programs, much like the name itself, varies depending on the district. Seward says many teachers have enriched curriculums, which enhance things like vocabulary, science and social studies \u2014 topics that have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.edweek.org\/teaching-learning\/social-studies-and-science-get-short-shrift-in-elementary-schools-why-that-matters\/2024\/02\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">been put on the back burner<\/a> over the years in favor of standardized testing. Teachers are trained to spot students\u2019 strengths and respond to those, which in turn, helps with students\u2019 weaknesses. <\/p>\n<p>For example, if a student has a strong vocabulary but struggles in math, the teacher might focus on math vocabulary during math class to put the lesson on a level the child understands. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"figure-image river-full-width\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11775\/Vanessa_s_classroom__arizona_-1776901276.jpeg?w=216&amp;h=216&amp;auto=compress,format&amp;fit=crop&amp;blur=10&amp;px=4\" srcset=\"\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 90vw, 648px\" alt=\"\" title=\"\" data-aspect-ratio=\"square\" data-image-fit=\"crop\" data-image-pad=\"0\" data-image-bg=\"fff\" class=\"lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11775\/Vanessa_s_classroom__arizona_-1776901276.jpeg?w=72&amp;h=72&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 72w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11775\/Vanessa_s_classroom__arizona_-1776901276.jpeg?w=81&amp;h=81&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 81w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11775\/Vanessa_s_classroom__arizona_-1776901276.jpeg?w=108&amp;h=108&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 108w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11775\/Vanessa_s_classroom__arizona_-1776901276.jpeg?w=162&amp;h=162&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 162w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11775\/Vanessa_s_classroom__arizona_-1776901276.jpeg?w=216&amp;h=216&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 216w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11775\/Vanessa_s_classroom__arizona_-1776901276.jpeg?w=288&amp;h=288&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 288w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11775\/Vanessa_s_classroom__arizona_-1776901276.jpeg?w=324&amp;h=324&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 324w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11775\/Vanessa_s_classroom__arizona_-1776901276.jpeg?w=360&amp;h=360&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 360w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11775\/Vanessa_s_classroom__arizona_-1776901276.jpeg?w=432&amp;h=432&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 432w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11775\/Vanessa_s_classroom__arizona_-1776901276.jpeg?w=486&amp;h=486&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 486w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11775\/Vanessa_s_classroom__arizona_-1776901276.jpeg?w=504&amp;h=504&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 504w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11775\/Vanessa_s_classroom__arizona_-1776901276.jpeg?w=540&amp;h=540&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 540w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11775\/Vanessa_s_classroom__arizona_-1776901276.jpeg?w=567&amp;h=567&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 567w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11775\/Vanessa_s_classroom__arizona_-1776901276.jpeg?w=648&amp;h=648&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 648w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11775\/Vanessa_s_classroom__arizona_-1776901276.jpeg?w=972&amp;h=972&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 972w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11775\/Vanessa_s_classroom__arizona_-1776901276.jpeg?w=1296&amp;h=1296&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 1296w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11775\/Vanessa_s_classroom__arizona_-1776901276.jpeg?w=1620&amp;h=1620&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 1620w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11775\/Vanessa_s_classroom__arizona_-1776901276.jpeg?w=1944&amp;h=1944&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 1944w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11775\/Vanessa_s_classroom__arizona_-1776901276.jpeg?w=2160&amp;h=2160&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 2160w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11775\/Vanessa_s_classroom__arizona_-1776901276.jpeg?w=3240&amp;h=3240&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 3240w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11775\/Vanessa_s_classroom__arizona_-1776901276.jpeg?w=4320&amp;h=4320&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 4320w\"\/><figcaption>Elementary students play games that help with quantitative, verbal or non verbal skills. <\/p>\n<p>Photo credit\/Vanessa Hill <\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t want it to turn into a thing where the teacher is the gate, and if they don\u2019t open the gate, then the students don\u2019t get identified \u2013 which has been a problem,\u201d Seward says. \u201cWe have to train teachers to be talent scouts, presenting the enriched curriculum. Hopefully it&#8217;s not something additional, but something they\u2019d naturally do in their role.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Elizabeth McLaurin Uptegrove, now the assistant academic director in Charleston County School District, created a \u201cstretch or support\u201d system that involves the games the students played in the aforementioned classroom. When Uptegrove first arrived in Charleston\u2019s school district, South Carolina used to require all second grade students be tested for the gifted and talented program. But after that year, selection changed to a nomination system. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhich sounds elitist, and it is,\u201d she says, adding white, affluent children were three times more likely to be in the programs. <\/p>\n<p>She pushed for universal testing again for all fourth grade students, which yielded three times as many students identified as gifted, jumping from 40 fourth graders to 150 across the district. Several schools across the country have adopted similar stretch-or-support systems.<\/p>\n<p>But Uptegrove\u2019s efforts go beyond identifying candidates for gifted programs through teacher observation: her game-based system uses data. With the aptitude test, there are verbal, quantitative and nonverbal subsections. The tests indicate if a child is low or high achieving in those areas. Then the children are placed in groups with those of similar abilities to play games that can enhance those skills.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"figure-image river-full-width\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11774\/IMG_6852-1776901133.jpeg?w=216&amp;h=162&amp;auto=compress,format&amp;fit=crop&amp;blur=10&amp;px=4\" srcset=\"\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 90vw, 648px\" alt=\"\" title=\"\" data-aspect-ratio=\"landscape4x3\" data-image-fit=\"crop\" data-image-pad=\"null\" data-image-bg=\"fff\" class=\"lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11774\/IMG_6852-1776901133.jpeg?w=72&amp;h=54&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 72w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11774\/IMG_6852-1776901133.jpeg?w=81&amp;h=60&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 81w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11774\/IMG_6852-1776901133.jpeg?w=108&amp;h=81&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 108w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11774\/IMG_6852-1776901133.jpeg?w=162&amp;h=121&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 162w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11774\/IMG_6852-1776901133.jpeg?w=216&amp;h=162&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 216w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11774\/IMG_6852-1776901133.jpeg?w=288&amp;h=216&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 288w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11774\/IMG_6852-1776901133.jpeg?w=324&amp;h=243&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 324w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11774\/IMG_6852-1776901133.jpeg?w=360&amp;h=270&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 360w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11774\/IMG_6852-1776901133.jpeg?w=432&amp;h=324&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 432w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11774\/IMG_6852-1776901133.jpeg?w=486&amp;h=364&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 486w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11774\/IMG_6852-1776901133.jpeg?w=504&amp;h=378&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 504w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11774\/IMG_6852-1776901133.jpeg?w=540&amp;h=405&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 540w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11774\/IMG_6852-1776901133.jpeg?w=567&amp;h=425&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 567w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11774\/IMG_6852-1776901133.jpeg?w=648&amp;h=486&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 648w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11774\/IMG_6852-1776901133.jpeg?w=972&amp;h=729&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 972w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11774\/IMG_6852-1776901133.jpeg?w=1296&amp;h=972&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 1296w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11774\/IMG_6852-1776901133.jpeg?w=1620&amp;h=1215&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 1620w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11774\/IMG_6852-1776901133.jpeg?w=1944&amp;h=1458&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 1944w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11774\/IMG_6852-1776901133.jpeg?w=2160&amp;h=1620&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 2160w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11774\/IMG_6852-1776901133.jpeg?w=3240&amp;h=2430&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 3240w,https:\/\/edsurge.imgix.net\/uploads\/photo\/image\/11774\/IMG_6852-1776901133.jpeg?w=4320&amp;h=3240&amp;auto=compress%2Cformat&amp;fit=crop 4320w\"\/><figcaption>The Stretch or Support games in Uptegrove\u2019s third grade classroom help children grow or reinforce their skills. <br \/>Photo credit\/Elizabeth McLaurin Uptegrove<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cTypically a teacher is not very well-equipped to come up with activities or lessons that can actually reach their level of thinking ability and games do that really quickly, in a way that&#8217;s not as boring for children as a typical worksheet,\u201d Uptegrove says. \u201cThat\u2019s where the magic of the games comes in. We\u2019re making rigorous, hard thinking almost irresistible so students are willing to do the activity for longer.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Hill, the Arizona-based education coordinator, initially implemented Uptegrove\u2019s game strategy across third grade classrooms in five schools: three Title 1 schools and two non-Title 1. She says the schools that have the strength or stretch program in place have higher passing rates of \u201cproficient\u201d or \u201chighly proficient\u201d scores than those who do not. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cTo me, it\u2019s the difference between being a passive learner and active learner; by being able to engage in the games, it\u2019s more active learning,\u201d Hill says. \u201cYou raise the exposure to critical thinking and are taught to apply those skills to any situation, whether it\u2019s on an achievement test or on the playground with a friend.\u201d <\/p>\n<h2>The Future of the Program<\/h2>\n<p>Both researchers and teachers acknowledge the \u201ctalent development\u201d approach to gifted and talented programs is far from perfect. It is often costly, whether it is buying the games, instilling teacher training or taking out time from testing. Hill pointed to four schools within her district that are closing this year because of financial constraints. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cOrdering the games is no small cost; I feel so blessed it\u2019s that level of importance that we will find the funds,\u201d she says. \u201cAs far as critical thinking games, yes that was missing. It is a hole we were filling. I think that while the core curriculum is doing its best, it can oftentimes be a bit surface level.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Uptegrove agrees, saying she believes the talent development method is becoming more popular, but \u201cthere\u2019s a long way to go in belief and funding for it.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Peters, who has long studied the best educational methods and practices, believes the shift in gifted and talented is a good step. But he has concerns about the larger moves needed for lasting impact. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s easy to have a 30-minute gifted program; it\u2019s hard to have a second through eighth grade math development pipeline involving everyone in the school,\u201d he says. \u201cAnd advanced learning isn\u2019t enough of a priority for most schools.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.edsurge.com\/news\/2026-04-23-districts-relying-more-on-data-to-identify-gifted-students\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A group of third grade students gather around a board game on a Wednesday afternoon in a Charleston classroom, grabbing<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":47153,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-47152","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.0 (Yoast SEO v26.9) - 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