Gifted education is a broad term for special practices, procedures and theories used in the education of children who have been identified as gifted or talented. Youths are usually identified as gifted by placing highly on certain standardized tests although this method is becoming antiquated and educators are shifting towards more broad means of identification.
Advocates of gifted education argue that gifted and/or talented youth are so perceptually and intellectually above the mean, it is appropriate to pace their lessons more aggressively, track them into honors, Advanced Placement, or International Baccalaureate courses, or otherwise provide educational enrichment.
They also claim that the needs of many gifted students are still neglected, as schools tend to place more emphasis on improving education for the mainstream. Some even say that too many resources are diverted from gifted education to the other end of the spectrum—disabled students—of special education (of which gifted education is a part). This may be an unintended consequence of the development of disability rights litigation, which some pundits argue has led to the disabled receiving escalating resources at the expense of needed growth for gifted programs. See special education.
Both gifted and disabled students are often dissatisfied with the education system, which, while it may suit the majority of students, doesn't suit their needs.
Gifted programs are often cut when budgets are tight, partly because they are seen as a luxury and partly because their unpopularity means supporters of such programs will not have many allies.
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