The Achievement Gap and Gifted Students of Color

Educators, policy makers, and civic leaders are baffled and frustrated over the stubborn achievement gaps that exist between white students and students of color. On a consistent basis, African American students do not fair as well as white students on school-related measures such as proficiency examinations and standardized tests (e.g., Scholastic Aptitude Tests [SAT] and American College Testing [ACT]). Numerous theories have been offered to explain the "achievement gap." The explanations can be placed into the following categories: social factors, cultural factors, and psychological factors. The majority of research has focused on the achievement between white students and African American students. In this article, the authors discuss the need for educators to understand social, cultural, and psychological factors that affect achievement in students of color.