For background, previous stories, and Web links, see our Issues Page on Gifted and Talented Education . Indeed, gifted education has enriched the general education program in our schools.
Most people believe that developing the talents of our children is an important and valuable goal.
Yet as ludicrous as that sounds, it happens all the time during debates over the appropriateness of gifted education programs. These debates occur in classrooms, faculty lounges, parent-teacher conferences, and school board and faculty meetings around the world. By providing our brightest students with an intellectually challenging environment, we are helping develop some of our country's most valuable economic and social resources. In addition, the criticism that these programs steal resources from other students is based on weak research evidence. Indeed, gifted education has enriched the general education program in our schools, since many educational techniques and strategies were initially designed and tested in gifted programs.