Category Archives: Blog

Understanding the Parental Expectations from Off-school Programs: A Review of Research

By Selcuk Acar, University of North Texas Research Title: Great expectations: The parental pursuit of optimal gifted programming. Researchers: Celeste D. C. Sodergren, Todd Kettler, & Jessica McKamie. Parents of gifted children often notice their kids’ exceptional talents early on. Whether it’s a knack for math, an interest in reading above their grade level, orContinue reading “Understanding the Parental Expectations from Off-school Programs: A Review of Research”

Lasers! Eight o’clock! Day one!

Nurturing the Moral and Ethical Lives of Gifted Children By Clint Von Gundy In Terry Gilliam’s 1981 classic Time Bandits, David Warner plays a character named “Evil Genius.”  He is a stand-in for the devil, and spends most of his time locked in a damp subterranean lair, fuming against the beauty of creation and plottingContinue reading “Lasers! Eight o’clock! Day one!”

Well… That Happened. What Now? The Future of Gifted Education in the DOGE Era

By Clint Von Gundy Regardless of how one feels about the results of the most recent election, whether rage, elation, or simple ennui, one has to admit that the American political landscape has shifted dramatically. As a nation, we are entering into truly unknown territory. Given the gravity of our current situation, many reading thisContinue reading “Well… That Happened. What Now? The Future of Gifted Education in the DOGE Era”

How Will AI Change Gifted Education?

Selcuk Acar, PhD University of North Texas Since the release of ChatGPT and Google Bard (now Gemini), it has become difficult to dismiss the news, debates, and controversies surrounding AI and its significant impact on many aspects of our lives. AI is poised to continue growing in influence as its power and areas of applicationContinue reading “How Will AI Change Gifted Education?”

Texas GT FAQ by GEFN: Do We Have To Follow ALL of the State Plan?

We are fortunate to live in one of the states that requires both identification and services for GT students. In Texas, all public school districts must determine which students need GT services, and districts must offer those GT services to qualifying students in grades K-12 during the school day and throughout the school year.   TexasContinue reading “Texas GT FAQ by GEFN: Do We Have To Follow ALL of the State Plan?”

Ask a Trustee: How Can School Boards Support GT?

Every Texas school district has a school board, and each school board is made up of elected Trustees who volunteer their time (unpaid) to make significant decisions for school districts. School boards must vote on issues like purchasing district property, contracts, bonds, the district budget, local school tax rates, and policies that guide the districtContinue reading “Ask a Trustee: How Can School Boards Support GT?”

Texas GT FAQ by GEFN:  

We Moved Districts.  Will My Child Keep GT Services? Parents sometimes contact us and ask: after my family moves to a new school district, will my child continue to receive GT services? The answer depends on the decisions and policies of the new school district, but we can provide you with information to help youContinue reading “Texas GT FAQ by GEFN:  “

So, My Child Accelerated. Now What?

Over the past decade, in the field of gifted education, significant time and resources have been devoted to publicizing the benefits of academic acceleration. Overall, research strongly supports both the short- and long-term benefits of acceleration for students who demonstrate readiness and who meet certain criteria. But what happens when problems develop later on, eitherContinue reading “So, My Child Accelerated. Now What?”

Parent Advocacy in the Development of Black Male Scholars and Scholar-Ballers: a Panel Discussion for Building on Resilience: Models and Frameworks of Black Male Success Across the P-20 Pipeline

In November 2021, the Gifted Education Family Network partnered with the Minority Achievement, Creativity, and High-Ability Center (MACH-III) for an incredible panel discussion on parent advocacy for gifted and high-ability Black males. Watch the recording and learn more about the research on this subject and about the lived experiences of the panelists.

Interview with Dr. Nicole Tetreault

Insight Into a Bright Mind: A Neuroscientist’s Personal Stories of Unique Thinking Our next blog post explores expert insight on the needs and characteristics of twice-exceptional students and adults.  “Twice exceptional” is a term used to describe gifted individuals with one or more disabilities. The term is sometimes used to describe individuals with disabilities whoContinue reading “Interview with Dr. Nicole Tetreault”