Status of Gifted Students in Vocational Agriculture Classes in the United States.

Gifted students have been enrolling in high school vocational agriculture courses in increasing numbers in recent years, according to a mailed survey of 100 randomly selected schools in 10 randomly selected states, plus Pennsylvania. During the 1974-80 time period, enrollment of identified gifted students in the surveyed vocational agriculture classes had increased from 44 to 195, although these gifted students make up only 10 percent of the total gifted students in those schools. Intelligence quotient and teacher identification were the most often used methods for identifying gifted students in vocational agriculture classes. Administrators and teachers in the majority of schools reported that they used individualized instruction, acceleration, or both to teach gifted students. Few of the schools reported special extracurricular activities, field trips, or community involvement for their gifted vocational agriculture students. However, it was observed that community involvement is already prevalent in many vocational agriculture programs. Most schools had career awareness activities for all students, but less than 25 percent reported special programs to make gifted students aware of career opportunities in agriculture. Students who had graduated during 1974-79 were found to be mostly enrolled in higher education or engaged in farming occupations. Only 26 former students were reached; although most of them found the vocational agriculture program unchallenging, all would enroll in it again. It was recommended that teachers play a more active role in programs for the gifted, and that curriculum materials to serve their needs be developed. (KC)