ABSTRACT
The phenomenon of underachievement is difficult to define and sometimes even more difficult to detect. Gifted underachievers are those who earn exceptional scores on standardized measures of achievement and aptitude but do not display this same level of achievement in school as evidenced by their grades or evaluations of their work. Teachers in classrooms and schools who focus on standardized high-stakes testing or do not offer curricula commensurate with a child’s abilities and readiness can create “involuntary underachievers”. Social-emotional issues impacting underachievement can include, but are not limited to, problems at home and issues with peers. Underachievement can be a difficult puzzle to unravel. Teachers and parents each can provide valuable information to each other about what happens at school and at home respectively.
