Approximately one quarter of American students attend rural schools; however, the needs of these students are often overlooked in education policy despite welldocumented limited financial resources and pervasive poverty. Relatively little is known about the experiences of gifted students in rural areas and even less about the teachers serving this population. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the rural-specific context to identify factors associated with rural teachers' instructional decisions to deliver gifted curriculum with fidelity. More specifically, the study examined the experiences for teachers in rural schools when implementing a research-based language arts curriculum and how these experiences relate to fidelity of implementation. Findings suggest that rural-specific characteristics of gifted programming, limited resources, and time challenges present unique challenges for these gifted education teachers.

This study used sequential mixed-methods analyses to investigate the effectiveness of a research-based language arts curriculum for gifted third graders. Using analytic induction, researchers found that teachers’ beliefs and expectations (time, sense of autonomy, expectations for students, professional expertise) influenced the degree to which they implemented the research intervention with fidelity to its design. Next, maximum variation sampling and quantitative analysis of student outcomes determined that postassessment achievement test scores are higher for students in classrooms with teachers who show high fidelity or adherence to the intervention.

Few academic interventions for gifted students have generated more empirical support than acceleration and ability grouping, and formative assessment is advocated as a tool that educators can use to appropriately integrate accelerative practices and ability grouping into the classroom. However, the empirical support for accelerative practices, ability grouping, and formative assessment does not always translate into practice. This qualitative study sought to explore how teacher expectations about student ability influenced teacher use of accelerative practices, ability grouping, and formative assessment. The findings indicate that the availability and use of formative assessments, coupled with high teacher expectations about student ability, support teacher use of best practices in pacing and grouping strategies.

Researchers increasingly embrace online courses to compensate for lack of access to educational opportunities otherwise available in traditional school settings. Researchers also recommend alternatives to traditional AP coursework to better meet the diverse learning styles and needs of advanced learners. These recommendations have particular applicability to students attending poor or rural schools where access to advanced course options and gifted programs are limited, to students who cannot fit additional advanced courses into their school schedules, or to homeschooled or homebound learners. However, little research exists on the use of online alternatives to traditional AP programs for students who lack access to advanced course options. This qualitative study investigated the learning outcomes for 138 students enrolled in an advanced online case-based course in environmental sciences. The course utilized problem-based and case-based learning methods and was developed using the guidelines provided by best practices for advanced learners and science pedagogy. Analyses of student online discussion boards, case resolutions, student grades, student and parent surveys obtained at the end of the course, e-mails, and AP examination results showed that many students enrolled in the course demonstrated learning, engagement, and challenge. Findings further support the conclusion that the course provided a viable learning alternative to traditional AP environmental science courses for many, but not all, students.

In an environment of accountability, the development of evidence-based practices is expected. To demonstrate that a practice is evidence based, quality indicators of rigorous methodology should be present including indications that teachers implementing an intervention have done so with fidelity to its design. Because evidence-based practices assume fidelity of implementation (FOI), failure to establish FOI limits the conclusions that can be drawn from any outcome evaluation. This study surveys the gifted education literature to ascertain the degree to which FOI has been assessed, reported, and tied to measured outcomes in curriculum intervention efficacy studies and outcome evaluations. Of the 11 curriculum intervention studies included in this survey, each addressed FOI. The nature and quality of the methods used, however, to measure FOI, as well as the degree to which fidelity data were reported, varied widely among these studies, which suggests the need for increased methodological rigor in gifted curriculum research.