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Sternberg's transformational giftedness theory is visionary given its focus on GATE students being agents of change who use their gifts and talents in meaningful ways to address real issues. The theory merges seamlessly with several multicultural or culturally responsive theories and frameworks/models. We introduce the "culturally responsive transformational giftedness model" that adds multicultural consideration to Sternberg's theory, particularly for Black students. This article offers recommendations and presents the model to complement and enhance transformational GATE students and education (e.g., identification and assessment, social-emotional and psychological development, instruction/teaching, and curriculum) via a rigorous culturally responsive framework. Undergirding this model is the notion of "good trouble" which is needed to solve real issues and problems to bring about equitable social and cultural change.

The field of gifted education, historically and contemporarily, is not well-known for being equitable for underrepresented students, specifically, Black, Hispanic, Native American, among others. In this article, we present a short history of gifted education with attention to key historical figures who have significantly shaped the field; their influence continues to impact theories and measurement to this very day. We share our reservations, along with 10 assumptions that we believe need to be countered. Given the long history of tension in the field regarding issues of racism, ethnocentrism, and classism, we offer perspectives for moving forward proactively and equitably.

Gifted girls of color represent a potentially untapped resource for increasing and sustaining a diverse science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce. Girls of color possess unique mathematics and science gifts and talents that can remain unrealized if not addressed before middle school. Culturally responsive STEM out-of-school-time (OST) activities can be an effective means to develop STEM capacity in gifted girls of color. The researchers present three considerations to support the implementation of STEM OST. First, they offer a rationale for culturally relevant STEM enrichment activities for gifted girls of color. Next, the researchers consider how culturally relevant STEM OST activities can help to close the achievement gap. Finally, they explain how professional mentorship opportunities within OST activities can help gifted girls of color navigate the STEM pipeline.

Black and Hispanic students are undeniably underidentified as gifted and underrepresented in gifted education. The underrepresentation of the two largest groups of "minority" students is long-standing, dating several decades, and is a serious area of contention. Most debates focus on the efficacy of traditional intelligence tests with verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal scales compared to intelligence tests that are nonverbal when identifying underserved gifted students. Test developers; researchers; federal, state, and local government officials; policymakers; administrators; and educators have debated different solutions to the problem of underrepresentation of minorities in gifted educational programs for decades. Controversies surrounding how to equitably identify these gifted students abound, and arguments are quite polemic and entrenched; nonetheless, in many instances gifted Hispanic and Black students are often disproportionally denied access to gifted education because of the methods and instruments used. In this article, we review a study by Giessman, Gambrell, and Stebbins regarding one Nonverbal Test of General Ability (NNAT2), which has been widely used for identification of gifted non-White students. We address concerns about conclusions raised by Giessman and coauthors and present cautions about the problems involved in reporting archival data.

This article examines the underrepresentation of African American and Hispanic students in gifted education, proposing that social inequality, deficit thinking, and microaggressions contribute to the inequitable segregated programs. Underrepresentation trends are presented, along with methods for calculating underrepresentation and inequity. Underrepresentation is placed under the larger umbrella of achievement gaps and inequities in school settings with attention to de jure segregation. I argue that underrepresentation is beyond statistical chance and is a function of attitudes and beliefs grounded in deficit paradigms among those with power or social capital. Denying access to gifted education based on race is counterproductive and illegal and is discussed with "Brown v. Board of Education" as the legal background and a recent court case in gifted education ("McFadden v. Board of Education for Illinois School District U-46"). Recommendations for desegregating gifted education are provided.

It is common knowledge that our schools and society have changed in many ways, especially due to increasing immigration. Between 1972 and 2004, for example, the percentage of culturally diverse students doubled. The majority of scholarship in education seems to focus on how these changes and trends impact educators and their competence in working with diverse students. In this article, we take a different approach and focus on students. We contend that, like teachers, gifted students must have formal educational experiences that prepare them for the ever-changing nation and world, thus helping them to become culturally competent. (Contains 1 figure and 1 table.)

In this article, the authors share concerns and considerations for researchers conducting cross-cultural research in gifted education. They contend that researchers should be mindful of the need to consider their own humanness--their beliefs, assumptions, attitudes, values, paradigms--and the limitations of their humanness when working with research participants from racially, culturally, and linguistically diverse backgrounds, especially those backgrounds that differ from their own. Furthermore, the authors assert that research is culture bound and that it is very difficult to conduct research where circumstances, demographics, and context can be ignored, minimized, negated, or in any way trivialized. Examples are presented of racially, culturally, and linguistically responsive researchers. (Contains 1 footnote, 2 tables and 1 figure.)

Students of color are often underrepresented in gifted education programs. While many educators have sought to reverse or redress this issue, little has changed over the years. In this article, it is proposed that teachers, particularly those working with elementary students, must pursue cultural competence in order to recognize the strengths and potential of culturally diverse students in a variety of learning contexts. Ultimately, teachers' new (and expanded) insights about their students can result in more culturally diverse students participating in gifted education programs. (Contains 4 endnotes.)

In this article, the authors share a story that, in part, represented both of their experiences teaching in higher education. As African American educators in predominantly White universities, they both find themselves facing, dealing with, and overcoming racism. These experiences shape their curriculum. They see their personal and professional responsibility as that of preparing future and current educators (e.g., teachers, counselors, administrators) to work effectively in culturally and racially diverse settings. They challenge educators to think or rethink gifted education curriculum. They urge educators to become self-reflective professionals who see the connection--direct connection--between their personal beliefs, attitudes, and values and their work in developing and implementing curriculum. They maintain that teaching is not only a social process--it is also a personal and cultural process. Who they are as individuals, who they are as cultural and racial beings, influences who they are as teachers/educators in the classroom, and these identities bear meaningfully on what students have had the opportunity to learn. Thus, they urge educators to see beyond their own worldview to consider teaching and learning through the eyes of their students, so many of whom are racially and culturally diverse. It is these students who they are failing disproportionately in their schools. In this regard, they offer the proposition that the achievement gap may be largely determined by a cultural and racial gap between teachers (the majority of whom are White) and their diverse students (Ford et al., 2004).

We are fond of stating that "what is valued and viewed as gifted in one culture may not be considered gifted in another culture." This assertion appears in gifted education textbooks and in the writings of several scholars. However, beyond stating this assertion and providing a few examples to support it, scholars in gifted education, ourselves included, have not provided a substantive treatment of the concept of "culture" in their works. This void is addressed in this articlewhere we share definitions and functions of culture, along with a theoretical model for understanding culture. The article ends with implications for gifted education.

This article examines the Office for Civil Rights' (OCR) position on non-discriminatory testing, polices and practices and the role and responsibility of the OCR in securing the civil rights of culturally and linguistically diverse students in the context of gifted education. Possible discriminatory practices in gifted education are outlined. (Contains 16 references.) (CR)

This article offers a framework for infusing multicultural curriculum into gifted education that integrates two, heretofore, parallel models in education, Benjamin Bloom's taxonomy of educational objectives (1956) and Banks and Banks' (1993) model of multicultural education. (Contains 15 references.) (DB)

This article focuses on recommended literature for gifted black and other minority students. The use of bibliotherapy with gifted students is described and recommendations are presented for using multicultural literature, along with guidelines for selecting high quality multicultural literature. An annotated bibliography of 10 recommended books is included. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

A case study of a 15-year-old gifted, underachieving African-American female 9th grader explores underachievement among gifted African-American females through her perceptions of peer relations, teacher expectations, and curricular issues. Recommendations are made to improve her educational experiences and those of other gifted African-American females. (Author/CR)

A study examined the racial identity and achievement of 44 identified gifted Black adolescents, 67 potentially gifted Black adolescents, and 38 typical Black adolescents. Males and underachievers had less positive racial identities than females and achievers, and gifted students had more positive racial identities than the others. (Author/CR)

Presents data on the underrepresentation of black and other minority teachers and provides recommendations for the recruitment and retention of minority teachers in gifted education in the context of affective, philosophical, and cultural considerations. Research needs are identified in the areas of demographic data, career decisions, contributions of minority teachers to student achievement, and policies and practices. (DB)

Discusses the need for professionals in gifted education to give greater attention to multicultural education. Characteristics of multicultural education are described and implications for gifted education are reviewed. Recommendations are offered to help educators of gifted students become more culturally aware, responsive, and skilled. (Author/CR)

Developments at the federal level affecting the legal and educational rights of gifted students are briefly examined, along with evidence supporting the need to establish special programs that are mandated and for which state schools are accountable. Eight challenges are presented and accompanied by recommendations regarding education for children who are gifted. (Author/SW)

This article explores the concept of resilience as it relates to gifted children, particularly gifted black children, and identifies barriers to resilience. Recommendations for fostering resilience in these students are offered, including improve family-school-community relations, enhance self-concept, and improve social and emotional relations. (JDD)

This article discusses implications of educational reform movements for improving the educational well-being of gifted students, in general, and gifted African-American students, in particular. Recommendations for educational improvements are offered in the areas of performance assessment, primary preschool programs, extended school services, family resource and youth services centers, and school-based decision making. (JDD)

This study examined determinants of underachievement perceived by 148 gifted and nongifted black students in grades 5 and 6. Findings suggest that psychological factors and peer pressures played the greatest role in underachievement and indicate the existence of a paradox of underachievement whereby black underachievers support the achievement ideology but do not work to their expected potential. (Author/JDD)

This study explored the influences of social, psychological, and cultural determinants of underachievement as perceived by 148 intermediate grade African-American students in gifted, above average, or average academic programs. Psychological factors played the greatest role in underachievement or poor achievement motivation. Underachievement behaviors were noted among students in all academic programs. (Author/JDD)

This article reviews barriers to the recognition of and assistance for gifted and talented Black students, focusing on inadequate definitions, theories, and identification procedures. Rationales are presented for reexamining current definitions and broadening the theories of giftedness to include more Blacks. Recommendations are provided for augmenting identification procedures. (Author/JDD)

We are fond of stating that "what is valued and viewed as gifted in one culture may not be considered gifted in another culture." This assertion appears in gifted education textbooks and in the writings of several scholars. However, beyond stating this assertion and providing a few examples to support it, scholars in gifted education, ourselves included, have not provided a substantive treatment of the concept of "culture" in their works. This void is addressed in this article where we share definitions and functions of culture, along with a theoretical model for understanding culture. The article ends with implications for gifted education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nationally, African American students are underrepresented in gifted education programs, and educators everywhere seek ways to identify more gifted Black students. This article addresses a central question in gifted education: How can we recruit and retain more African American students in our gifted programs? The authors review factors affecting the persistent underrepresentation of Black students in gifted education and offer suggestions for recruiting and retaining these able students. The authors' major premise is that a deficit orientation held by educators hinders access to gifted programs for diverse students. This thinking hinders the ability and willingness of educators to recognize the strengths of African American students. Too often, educators interpret differences as deficits, dysfunctions, and disadvantages: thus, many diverse students gain the “at risk” label. We contend that educators must move beyond a deficit orientation in order to recognize the strengths of African American students. Changing our thinking about differences among children holds great promise for recruiting and retaining culturally diverse students in gifted education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calls gifted education professionals to give greater attention to multicultural education. Why the need for multicultural education; Important components of multicultural education; Implementing multicultural education; How educators of gifted students can become more culturally aware, responsive and skilled.

Examines developments at the federal level that impact upon both the legal and educational rights of gifted students in the United States. Review of educational data supporting the need to establish special programs for gifted students; Overview of the legal rights of gifted children; Inequities in educational programs for the gifted.