Applicable Federal and State Policy, Law, and Legal Considerations in Gifted Education.

"National attention to the recognition and development of gifted persons is intermittent, unevenly distributed, and inadequate in amount" (p. 1). This statement comes directly from a report issued by the White House Task Force on the Education of Gifted Persons under Lyndon B. Johnson's presidency in 1968; however, these words still hold true nearly 40 years later. Once gifted children enter school, their parents soon realize the lack of accommodations that are available to address their children's unique educational needs. With no federal protection under the law and with permissive legislation in many states, gifted children are not afforded the same safeguards as those children protected under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA). This chapter will take a historical look at federal legislation impacting gifted child education and discuss the current status of gifted education across the states. The legal processes that parents can utilize in seeking appropriate identification and services for their gifted children will follow along with the role of the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) in resolving disputes pertaining to gifted students. Future policy issues in gifted education will also be explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]