ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION When a student enters school, his or her caregivers assume that the child will be provided with instruction appropriate to advance his or her cognitive, affective, and psychomotor needs (Callahan, 2001; Feldhusen & Moon, 1992; Sapon-Shevin, 1994). Gifted children often come to school with academic readiness levels that are significantly advanced compared to those of their age peers, or learn material at a rate that outpaces their colleagues. Parents of gifted children, and those interested in their education, often seek ways to assure that they are provided with opportunities to grow academically just as other students do. However, in an era in which increased attention has been brought to closing the achievement gap, many have questioned the value of providing services for gifted students. However, research consistently demonstrates that gifted students who receive any level of services achieve at higher levels than their gifted peers who receive none (Delcourt, Loyd, Cornell, & Goldberg, 1994; Kulik, 2003). School leaders and others responsible for providing instruction and other programming to gifted children thus must negotiate the delicate balance of providing pathways to equity while simultaneously developing excellence (Sapon-Shevin, 1996).
