Chapter 18: Why are There So Few African Americans in Gifted Education Programs?

The low percentage of African American students in gifted and talented (GT) programs has been highlighted by a number of researchers over the past 15 years (e.g., Baldwin, 1985; Ford, 1996, 1998; Plummer, 1995; Robinson, Bradley, & Stanley, 1990). In 1992, when African Americans made up approximately 21% of public school enrollment, their enrollment in GT programs was only 12% (Ford, 1998). In fact, Ford (1998) indicated that through the 1980s into the early 1990s, African American underrepresentation in GT programs ranged from 41% to 57%, and she argued that “gifted programs are the most segregated educational programs in this nation” (Ford, 1995, p. 52). Although these figures are not new, they are still staggering. Moreover, despite the number of researchers and educators who cite these statistics and lament about the problem, these figures have not changed substantially over the last three decades. It is clear that the solution is not one that is obvious or easily attainable. However, before proceeding further, what exactly does “gifted” mean?