Effects of gifted and talented programs on standardized test scores of fourth grade students in two school districts.

Abstract

Gifted and Talented (G/T) programs have been implemented in many school districts for a number of decades. In that time, these programs have sought to improve academic and intellectual abilities of students with unique gifts and talents. Unfortunately, these programs have often been surrounded by problems such as insufficient funding, inadequate professional development, limited program availability, and excessive rules and regulations. In addition, there is little research to support specific academic, intellectual, and/or interpersonal benefits that such programs have produced. This is particularly true with regard to improved student achievement. This investigation compared the performance of two groups of 4th grade students, one of whom received G/T services and the other who did not, on New York State ELA test scores. Results indicated that 4th grade students enrolled in a program for Gifted and Talented students received higher average test scores on the 2010-2011 New York State English Language Arts (NYSELA) exam than those students in a similar district with comparable grade averages who did not participate in a program for Gifted and Talented program. Implications for research and practice are discussed.