History of Gifted Education

By scoombs
  • Alfred Binet and Theodore Simon developed a series of tests (the Binet-Simon Measurement Scales) to identify a child's "mental age" as compared to his/her actual physical age.

    Alfred Binet and Theodore Simon developed a series of tests (the Binet-Simon Measurement Scales) to identify a child's "mental age" as compared to his/her actual physical age.

    Although these scales were originally designed to identify children with intellectual disabilities in order to place them in an alternative education settings, the idea of numerically quantifying intelligence via test scores forever changed the face of education for ALL students. In today's educational climate, replete with standardized testing and a battery of tests for all "unusual" learners, it's easy to see how Binet and Simon revolutionized their field for better or for worse.
  • J.P. Guilford publicly challenged the notion that IQ testing could accurately portray someone's mental abilities with just a single numerical result in his presidential address at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association.

    J.P. Guilford publicly challenged the notion that IQ testing could accurately portray someone's mental abilities with just a single numerical result in his presidential address at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association.

    Guilford believed that intelligence ratings should look at three different dimensions so as not to alienate or stigmatize divergent thinking. His research paved the way for establishing a broad definition of giftedness and thereby the inclusion of students who are talented in the arts, show aptitude in leadership abilities, etc.
  • The National Association for Gifted Children was founded in 1954. The NAGP actively works to develop policies and practices based on research to help guide the education of gifted students of all backgrounds. This organization still exists today.

    The National Association for Gifted Children was founded in 1954. The NAGP actively works to develop policies and practices based on research to help guide the education of gifted students of all backgrounds. This organization still exists today.

    The NAGP continues to work today to offer support to parents, educational professionals, and policy makers so that gifted students receive the services they need in order to thrive. Their work is invaluable. The NAGP has published gifted programming standards as well as national gifted education standards for use in teacher preparation programs.
  • The National Defense Education Act is signed into law, largely as a result of the Soviet Union launching Sputnik in 1957. The Cold War's "Space Race" spurred a reexamination of American education and new legislation to fortify it.

    The National Defense Education Act is signed into law, largely as a result of the Soviet Union launching Sputnik in 1957. The Cold War's "Space Race" spurred a reexamination of American education and new legislation to fortify it.

    The NDEA was mostly meant to introduce science, math, and foreign language initiatives in order to compete with foreign technological advances. However, Title V includes the use of testing to identify gifted and talented students in order to cultivate America's "best and brightest." Since this was the first major federal legislation to recognize gifted students, it stands as an important event in the history of gifted education. It also reinforced the idea of testing for competency.
  • The Marland Report was the first national report to the U.S. Congress on gifted education. S.P. Marland was a teacher, then superintendent, then appointed the U.S. Commissioner of Education by Nixon in 1970.

    The Marland Report was the first national report to the U.S. Congress on gifted education. S.P. Marland was a teacher, then superintendent, then appointed the U.S. Commissioner of Education by Nixon in 1970.

    In addition to providing a broad definition of giftedness, the Marland report concluded that gifted students were being deprived of an appropriate education. Although it seems that not much policy has changed since the Marland Report (including federal support), it is an important event in that it documents the general failure of initiatives to adequately service the gifted and talented population up to this point in time.
  • The No Child Left Behind Act passed under the presidency of George W. Bush, and included an expanded Javits program to provide grants for funding gifted education initiatives. NCLB also updated the federal definition of giftedness yet again.

    The No Child Left Behind Act passed under the presidency of George W. Bush, and included an expanded Javits program to provide grants for funding gifted education initiatives. NCLB also updated the federal definition of giftedness yet again.

    No Child Left Behind marked the continued lack of attention to students who were not "left behind" academically. Although the Act mandated specific interventions for schools nationwide that were not adequately servicing their low or grade-level students, no such legislation was put in place for gifted programs, aside from AYP. Inadvertently, NCLB perpetuated the myth that gifted students would be okay without additional education services.