The present mixed methods study aimed to understand the challenges faced by teachers of the gifted and how elementary gifted learners were supported and taught during the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey was administered to 310 elementary school teachers of the gifted across the United States between March and June 2021, one year after initial school closings. Focus groups were utilized to further explore how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the work of teachers of the gifted in their schools. Educators shared lessons learned from this experience related to (a) a better understanding of how to utilize remote instruction, (b) reimagining the gifted education classroom, and (c) use of a variety of strategies to provide more student choice, differentiation, and individualized pace. Results from this study provide insights that can guide educators, curriculum specialists, and school administrators to improve online instruction for gifted learners in the future.

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Gifted education coordinators play critical roles in administration and supervision of gifted education and accelerated learning programs in their districts. However, these roles are ill-defined in the literature. During the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders have been called upon to support educators and administrators in a variety of ways. This exploratory study sought to investigate the experiences of district gifted education coordinators during the first year of the pandemic. Qualitative data were collected from a national sample of 11 district gifted education coordinators through semi-structured interviews. An inductive thematic analysis revealed four categories that addressed their roles during this period: (a) professional responsibilities, (b) instructional leadership, (c) program management, and (d) communication and collaboration. The overarching theme across all interviews was the rapid need to pivot and adapt to constant change to ensure equitable access to advanced instruction. Implications for administrators of gifted education programs and areas for future study are addressed.

Gifted education coordinators play critical roles in administration and supervision of gifted education and accelerated learning programs in their districts. However, these roles are ill-defined in the literature (Ezzani et al., 2021, Author & Author, 2021; Kennedy, 1997). During the COVID-19 pandemic, district leaders have been called upon to support educators and school administrators in a variety of ways. This exploratory study sought to investigate the experiences of district gifted education coordinators during the first year of the pandemic. Qualitative data were collected from a national sample of 11 district gifted education coordinators through semi-structured interviews. An inductive thematic analysis of transcripts revealed four categories that addressed their roles during this period: (a) professional responsibilities, (b) instructional leadership, (c) program management, and (d) communication and collaboration. The overarching theme across all interviews was the rapid need to pivot and adapt to constant change to ensure equitable access to advanced instruction. Implications for district administrators of gifted education and advanced academic programs and areas for future study are addressed.

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