Economically Disadvantaged Urban Female Students Who Achieve in Schools.

Abstract

Recently, researchers at the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented completed a three-year study of thirty-five economically disadvantaged, ethnically diverse, talented high school students who either achieved or underachieved in their urban high school. In this article, the results are discussed of the case study analysis of nine high-achieving female students who participated in the larger three-year study. Qualitative methods were used to examine the perceptions of students, teachers, and administrators about the reasons that some academically talented students achieve at high levels. Female students who achieved in school acknowledged the importance of being grouped together in honors and advanced classes for academically talented students, and of receiving support and encouragement from each other and from supportive adults, including teachers, guidance counselors, coaches, and mentors. Females who achieved in school participated in multiple extracurricular activities both after school and during the summer. Most high-achieving females in this study chose not to date in order to be able to concentrate their energies on their studies. They also had a strong belief in self and were resilient about negative aspects of their families and their environment. Although parents of students in this study cared deeply about their children, their involvement in their children's high school education was minimal.