Supporting the College and Career Needs of Gifted and Talented Learners in Rural Elementary Schools: Strategies for School Counselors

Abstract

Rural school communities face an array of systemic barriers that often impact students’ college and career readiness (CCR). These barriers often extend to students identified as gifted and talented, a subsection with differing CCR readiness needs than their non-gifted peers. Despite these barriers, school counselors are well positioned to address the career development needs of all students. Regrettably, elementary-level CCR, particularly within the rural context, is often overlooked in educational research. In response to this gap, this article highlights strategies school counselors in rural settings can employ to support the CCR needs of elementary-level gifted learners, conceptualized within the framework of the American School Counselor Association National Model.