-
Stanford-Binet Test
In 1905, French researchers Simon and Binet devleoped a series of test to help identify children of higher intelligence. These ideas were later used and studied by Lewis Termin in America. In 1916, Termin eventually published the Stanford-Binet test, the first IQ test to be implemented in American eduction. The test consists of five measures including knowldge, quantitative reasoning, visual-spatial processing, working memory, and fluid resoning. This measurement continues to be used today. -
Speyer School Opens
Leta Hollingworth joined Terman as one of the leading researchers in the field of gifted educaiton. While Terman believed that intelligence is an inherited trait, Hollingworth believed that the child's environment and educational opportunities can also impact their intelligence. Hollingworth dedicated much of her life to studying gifted children. She wrote numerous publications on the topic, and in 1936 established the Speyer School for gifted children, which was one of the first of it's kind. -
National Defense Education Act
In 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower passed the National Defense Education Act in an attempt to increase funding to U.S. education at all levels. This bill was passed soon after the Soviet Union launched Sputnik. The goal of the bill was to promote mathematics, technology and science initiatives to better prepare students to potentially enter defense related careers. This was also one of the first large scale efforts by the federal government to promote gifted education. -
Marland Report
In 1972, The Marland Report was introduced to Congress, officially providing a definition for giftedness in children. The report found that gifted children are often deprived in school, which may lead to psychological damage or impairment to their abilities. It found that meeting the needs of gifted students was a low priority in most schools and classrooms. This led to a national effort to provide instructional methods and out of school opportunities to better meet the needs of these students. -
A Nation at Risk
In 1983, Ronald Reagan's National Commission on Excellence in Education released a landmark publication regarding American education. The publication stated that American schools are failing and that our brightest students are failing to compete with their peers in other countries. The report also included many policies to encourage educational reform. These included raising academic standards and creating programs for gifted students. -
NAGC PreK-12 Prgram Standards
In 1998, the National Association of Gifted Children developed standards for gifted programs in the US. The standards were developed to help establish a set of policies, rules and procedures with the unique population of gifted learners in mind. The standards are grounded in research, policy and practice paradigms so that they can best meet the needs of students. They are also more focused on student outcomes rather than teacher practices. The standards focus on six specific program areas.
