Last evening Elaine Tuttle Hansen, the new Executive Director of the Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth (CTY), in an email to participants and supporters of the CTY program, drew attention to her opinion piece in the Baltimore Sun.
Dr. Hansen draws attention to the effort by Maryland to strengthen regulations governing gifted and talented education. This column drew attention to the same regulations, proposed by Maryland, more than a month ago. As this column pointed out, “it is hard to argue that the proposed changes don’t auger well for Maryland’s academically advanced students.” In a similar vein, Dr. Hansen characterizes the proposed regulations as an “essential step in the right direction.” The complete text of the proposed regulations, in easily readable form, has been posted here (the official version can be found in the Maryland Register).
It is a fundamental fact that the well-intentioned No Child Left Behind law has focused national attention and resources on the struggling student to the detriment of academic high achievers.
Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) are a typical example of this nation’s woeful commitment to academic high achievers. The school system quietly dumped honors courses available to middle school students. A similar effort in neighboring Fairfax County, Virginia, was met with strong and coherent opposition from parents. Consequently, the Fairfax County School Board voted to reverse course and expand high school honors courses. Montgomery County has not seen the type of aggressive and coherent efforts to support educational excellence that their cousins across the Potomac River have demonstrated. Fairfax has benefitted from excellent leadership for their march to educational excellence with the likes of Louise Epstein spearheading the march.
The new superintendent of MCPS, Dr. Joshua Starr has forthrightly acknowledged the existence of a gifted and talented population, expressly affirming that “Only 3 to 5% of the population actually is truly gifted and talented.” Dr. Starr’s assessment is commensurate with estimates published by the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC). According to a memorandum dated June 2, 2011, signed by former MCPS Superintendent of Schools, Jerry D. Weast, it is approximately this same percentage that receives admission to MCPS Elementary Center Programs for the Highly Gifted and Magnet programs.
Annotated Code of the Public General Laws of Maryland, Education: Title 8. Special Programs for Exceptional Children, Subtitle 2. Gifted and Talented Students, § 8-202(1) states “A gifted and talented student needs different services beyond those normally provided by the regular school program in order to develop the student's potential.” The statement of policy by the Maryland General Assembly is clear that those receiving services “beyond those normally provided by the regular school program” are considered gifted and talented.
Consequently, opponents of gifted and talented programs in Montgomery County, wrongly argue that approximately 40% of the population is identified as gifted and talented. The labeled population they oppose is, as the school system acknowledges, simply the student, “ready to work above grade level.” Experts believe that all gifted children are bright, though all bright children aren't considered gifted and talented. The school system, seemingly recognizes this distinction.
On February 28-29, the Maryland State Board of Education, in an open meeting, is set to take the first step in strengthening gifted and talented education. There are no bona fide reasons to oppose the proposed regulations.
Author's note: The penultimate paragraph was edited to include a distinction between bright students and the gifted and talented.
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