“I Struggled But I Made It”: Black Gifted Underachievers on Transitioning to College

Abstract

Research on Black student presence in gifted and talented programs consistently illuminates issues with recruitment and underrepresentation. While enrolled, gifted Black students face a series of issues that affect their ability to persist and achieve, especially in nondiverse environments. This work examines the reflections of four Black adults who attended gifted schools in New York City and encountered significant hurdles during their K–12 schooling. These findings are excerpted from a larger qualitative study that investigated how Black adults, who were identified as gifted in New York City Public Schools, reflected on their experiences as gifted students and how they leveraged those experiences to persist to and through college. Using Schlossberg’s model for adapting to transitions as the theoretical frame, findings suggest that participants received limited guidance as they transitioned to college but learned many lessons that led to become productive in college.

Gifted and Talented LGBTQ+ Students With Disabilities: A Queer Crip Analysis

“…They may also have specific academic strengths and weaknesses, both of which can be improved through adult instruction. These students may wish to explore wide-ranging academic settings, but their joy there may depend on adult and peer support, as with some culturally underrepresented gifted youth (Sewell & Goings, 2020). Finally, they may wish to be in leadership roles at school but may face unsupportive adults.…”

A Pragmatic Analysis of How North Carolina School Districts Aim to Differentiate for Gifted High School Students

“…These data revealed a lack of consistent services across states and school districts, which is an equity issue. Building on common offerings such as AP, dual enrollment, and honors or advanced courses may ensure students are receiving more holistic and differentiated services that are aligned to their specific needs and backgrounds (Dixon, 2006; Rogers, 2008; Sewell & Goings, 2020; Wai & Allen, 2019). This is especially important because gifted high schoolers do not represent one homogeneous group (Margot & Rinn, 2016; Owens et al, 2016; Schmitt & Goebel, 2015).…”