Recruiting and Retaining Culturally Different Students in Gifted Education

Author(s): Donna Y. Ford, Ph.D

One pervasive educational issue is the national under-representation of Black and Hispanic students in gifted education. Virtually every school district is grappling with having too few students from these groups identified as gifted and served in gifted classes and programs. Recruiting and Retaining Culturally Different Students in Gifted Education addresses this long-standing national problem through the dual lens of recruitment and retention. The focus is on how to equitably recruit (screen, refer, and/or assess) culturally different students and, just as importantly, to retain them. Recruitment and retention require providing academic, cultural, and social supports to culturally different students and ensuring that educators are willing and able to address issues and barriers.

Upon completing this home study course, you will be able to:

• Describe and explain definitions, theories, and models of culture, including what it means to be a culturally competent professional in the education and mental health fields or psychology fields
• Recognize and list equitable practices, policies, and instruments pertaining to the recruitment (i.e., identification and assessment) of gifted Black and Hispanic students
• Identify, describe, and list barriers and strategies to retaining (e.g., supports, learning environment) Black and Hispanic students in gifted education
• Identify and explain equity in tools and assessment for Black and Hispanic students
• Describe and recognize similarities and differences regarding giftedness as it relates to Black and Hispanic students compared to White students
• Demonstrate knowledge regarding legal mandates (e.g., civil rights laws such a Brown vs. Board of Education) as they pertain to gifted education under-representation and/or inequities
• Calculate one under-representation formula using the Relative Difference Composition Index and be able to explain how this applies to gifted Hispanic and Black students
• Calculate an equity allowance and goal to target regarding increasing the representation of Hispanic and Black students in gifted education
• Recognize, articulate, and define components of equitable recruitment and retention instruments, policies, processes, and programs for under-represented Black and Hispanic gifted students
• Hear the voices and stories of gifted Black students and their families, including those who are middle class, in order to better advocate for them.

Course fee does not include the book, which is available from Prufock Press.

CEs: 6
Accredited by: American Psychological Association
Exam details: 31 multiple choice questions