Rural communities and school systems are the heart of many states across the nation. Yet, many of the challenges facing rural gifted education remain unanswered. There is limited research or policy focused on gifted students, teachers of the gifted, or gifted programming in rural settings. Understanding how culture defines rural communities and influences educational decisions is key in overcoming challenges within gifted programs. This study seeks to explore some of the perceived challenges and the influence of rural culture in providing gifted services in four rural school districts in Texas. Findings highlight the struggles of rural gifted programs to identify and serve gifted students. These struggles fall into three categories: limited funding, limited time, and limited resources available for gifted programs.

Rural gifted education historically has struggled with its own identity. Limited research exists on rural gifted programming, effective ways to implement gifted pedagogy and curriculum, and how to maximize limited time, resources, and funding. Rural communities are complex, dynamic entities, full of nuances and guided by a sense of place and rural culture. Faced with limited funding, resources, and time, rural gifted programs struggle to provide consistent quality enrichment to gifted learners. This study reflects on how rural gifted education policies and procedures in Texas have evolved over the last 30 years and the realities of providing gifted programs in rural school districts. Findings highlight a need for written policies and procedures for gifted programing, challenges gifted teachers face in rural districts, and the positives of being educated in a rural gifted program.

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Downloaded from gifted child today 55 Rigorous Outcomes for Gifted Learners continued on page ?? Curricular reform is an intense p r o c e s s .Broad-based reform-like that at the statewide level-takes on complexities that may not be easily predictable. Two states, Texas and Florida, with a large diversity of gifted populations, learn from each other as they experience creating curriculum standards for their gifted students. This article addresses the issues and dilemmas faced when committees of gifted educators in both states began redefining and designing their gifted curriculums. It follows Texas through the process of developing a scope and sequence and a parallel approach with Florida's design of the curriculum frameworks for K-12 gifted learners.The approach taken by these two states with different paths to accountability emphasizing rigorous outcomes for gifted learners is described in detail.

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