Increasing Black Student Enrollment in Gifted Programs: An Exploration of the Pulaski County Special School District's Advocacy Efforts

Abstract

An increasing amount of literature focuses on effective advocacy efforts that promote excellence in gifted education, yet educators know very little about successful advocacy efforts targeted to ensure equitable representation of Black students in programs for the gifted. In this article, the author presents findings and research of an advocacy event in Pulaski County, Arkansas, where one school district's efforts to desegregate their gifted program resulted in more Black students enrolled. Different phases of a Gifted Program Advocacy Model (G-PAM) are used to explain important components of the Pulaski County Special School District's advocacy efforts.