Conclusion

In creating this wiki I set out to analyze the benefits and consequences of several different types of gifted programs as well as find what research stated was the best age to identify students. For identification, most research examined, showed the need to go through a careful team process when choosing who to identify in the early grades, but that students who exhibit signs of high ability early, should be tested for the gifted program as early as kindergarten. I also examined in my analysis what research showed was the effect of the following gifted program options based on academic growth and how students responded socially and emotionally.

Of the options discussed, grade skipping had the highest academic effect size in Karen Rogers' study and also had the backing of other researchers including Brown, who found it to have the most positive academic effects for students. However, this option is not really an option for a school considering what type of program to have for gifted students. Grade skipping was also sited most in research as causing students anxiety and adjustment issues.

Curriculum compacting or curriculum telescoping had very positive reviews from research. This program yielded high academic growth as well as providing students will a challenging program with few researchers siting any emotional drawbacks.

Cross-Graded classes focus on ability rather than what age/grade a student is. This allows for student to progress and advance when they master a content area rather than at the end of an academic year.

Enrichment and Differentiation allow teachers the opportunity to assess student and then create a modified class based on student readiness and content skill level. The program must tie in with content taught in the general education setting to be effective. Differentiation can take place in a separate gifted class or could be a program were a gifted facilitator works with general education teachers in differentiating a gifted student's curriculum.

Pull-Out gifted programs continue to be a topic of contention. This type of program has strong support in terms of providing academic challenges, a flexible program and like-ability age peers, but has considerable drawbacks in terms of students missing school and the effects in can have on students in the general education setting.

Subject acceleration has shared many of the same positives as curriculum compacting, but does not have the drawbacks of grade skipping. Much of the research being limited to summer or specialized talent searchers made this option difficult to analyze, but I believe it would be a good program option as a stand alone gifted class.

Full-Time ability grouping allows students the advantage of being constantly with their same ability level peers, but has the drawback of completely pulling students from the general curriculum.

Mentorships,like grade skipping, is not a stand alone program option, but an option that provides students with a specialized expert who can provide more help often times than what the school has resources to provide. The benefits gained from learning career education and having a mentor to relate to, can be extremely helpful for students that are gifted.

Advanced Placement Courses allow students to take classes for college credit, learn what freshmen college classes are like and are often seen as being the best classes that high schoolers take. Advanced Placement, however, should not be the only aspect of the gifted program, but rather a part of available resources for high school students that are gifted.

Overall, the prevailing elementary option has been a Pull-Out Program. Based on this research and on the resources available to our district (and most others) I would continue to recommend this program, but with strong recommendations to communicate and coordinate the curriculum so that the content covered in the gifted program corresponds to what is covered in the general education setting. While other program options have high effect sizes for academic growth and have less concerns for students socially and emotionally, this program when done right, does have strong support for academic growth and the anxiety and pressure that students feel can be alleviated with good communication between general education and gifted teachers.

At the secondary level, nothing seems to be supported more that curriculum compacting. This type of service allows for students to move forward in the curriculum, be challenged and if done in the context of gifted program, they are with their like ability peers for some of the day, but also get to be in the general education setting. Curriculum compacting could take the form of any of the core subject areas and would provide excellent support for students that are gifted. From research in this study, having secondary students take part in mentorships and taking Advanced Placement Courses is also advisable.