Influences on Young Gifted African Americans' School Success: Implications for Elementary School Counselors

Abstract

Too often, African American elementary school students, including the gifted, disengage academically and underachieve in public schools. Increased research on the underachievement and low achievement of African American students in gifted education programs has suggested that an array of educational, personal/social, and familial factors (e.g., low funding, racial identity development, and child‐rearing practices) contribute to negative school outcomes. In this article we explain how these factors influence these students' academic performance. We also offer practical strategies elementary school counselors can use to counter these negative educational outcomes and assist gifted African American students in elementary school in developing the identity of a scholar.