Gifted education programs are often the subject of criticism based on claims that they are elitist and educationally unnecessary, consume funding and resources that would be better spent on more needy students, and cater to types of intelligence more readily identified in students from dominant cultural and socioeco-nomic groups. Because of these criticisms and the limitations of adequate federal and state funding to support all educational programs in a comprehensive manner, gifted education programs often are the targets of budget cuts and/or elimination.

Supporters of gifted education maintain that children who are gifted have an equal and intense need for specialized education programs as children who are underperforming their peers. The numerous studies of gifted underachievers and of the psychological and social benefits experienced ...

  • Loading...
locked icon

Sign in to access this content

Get a 30 day FREE TRIAL

  • Watch videos from a variety of sources bringing classroom topics to life
  • Read modern, diverse business cases
  • Explore hundreds of books and reference titles