Exploring Individual and Classroom Characteristics on Students' Outcome Score From the HOPE Teacher Rating Scale

• In Event: Equity in Gifted and Talented Education

Abstract

Teachers play an important role in identifying gifted students, and the results of teacher ratings on the HOPE Scale might differ by teacher because students are nested in classrooms. From the multilevel modeling analyses investigating the pattern of the outcome based on 1,113 students from 53 teachers, we found that level-1 factors affected students’ received scores; students from low-income families and multicultural backgrounds had lower scores compared to their counterparts. However, level-2 factors, such as a teacher’s years of experience and the classroom characteristics (percentage of students from low-income families and percentage of multicultural students), did not influence the score differences among the teachers. This study’s implications and limitations are discussed to serve underrepresented students in gifted programming more equitably.

Authors

• Hyeseong Lee, Lewis University

• Marcia L. Gentry, Purdue University

• Yukiko Maeda, Purdue University