Disproportionalities in gifted and talented education enrollment rates: An analysis of the U.S. civil rights data collection series

Abstract

Particular racial/ethnic and class groups remain underrepresented within gifted and talented education (GATE). However, students who are culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) or gifted and disabled are also underrepresented but are often excluded from analysis. A cross-sectional design was to evaluate gifted enrollment data gathered by the Office for Civil Rights (OCR). Proportional representation in GATE enrollment assessed students’ race/ethnicity, English Language Learner (ELL) status, and disability status under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). A one-sample z test of proportions rendered statistically significant disproportionality across all groups evaluated. Results indicate the issue driving disproportionality lies within the theory of intelligence used to measure giftedness in Western school systems and calls for correctly diagnosing the GATE systems’ underlying inequities.