Mitigating Challenges to Support Gifted Education in High-Poverty Rural Schools

• In Event: Moscone Center West Roundtable Session 9
  In Roundtable Session: Opportunity Gaps and Engagement in Rural Schools

Abstract

Studies in rural gifted education point to significant opportunity gaps for rural learners. In this paper, we draw from a five-year research study exploring how alternative identification processes and curricular interventions might influence gifted education programming for students in high poverty rural school districts. Working from a sample of 12 rural school districts, we used qualitative analysis of narratives, classroom observations, and interviews to identify four thematic challenges related to conceptions of giftedness, poorly resourced districts, teacher expectations, and fidelity of implementation. This paper illuminates these challenges and explicates strategies to mitigate obstacles in an effort to support gifted education in rural communities.

Authors

• Amy Price Azano, Virginia Tech

• Carolyn M. Callahan, University of Virginia

• Erika Bass, University of Northern Iowa

• Michelle Rasheed, Virginia Tech