What Works in Gifted Education—
Mathematics Study Questions and Answers



  1. What is the purpose of this research study?
    The purpose of this research study is to determine What Works in Gifted Education. We will address three major questions:
    • Who are the gifted and potentially gifted students?
    • How can we address the academic diversity of all students in general education classrooms by developing challenging math units?
    • What are the achievement outcomes of using challenging math units with all students?
    This study is funded by the United States Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, under the Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Education Act. Your participation will enable the University of Connecticut to create a defensible and an equitable identification system, to develop challenging math units, and to design and implement performance assessments.

  2. What are the benefits of participating in this research study?
    • We will assist you in identifying a talent pool of students using a broadened conception of giftedness.
    • We will provide all of the identification tools at no cost.
    • We will provide 3 math units that are differentiated to challenge all students in general education classrooms.
    • We will provide 1 day of on-site professional development. Follow-up day of professional development will be available, if requested.
    • We will distribute professional development support materials for the math units. The content of the DVDs focuses on the big ideas underlying the reading and math objectives, presents the approach to teaching the content, and connects the content to the assessment of student learning. The DVDs contain video-clips of teachers and students working with the units.
  3. What is the timeline for the research study?
    Currently, several schools across the country (Cohort 1) are involved in the first year of the research study and will continue working with the reading or math curriculum during the 2009-2010 (Cohort II) school year. We welcome the involvement of new schools for the 2009-2010 school year (Cohort III). The timeline provides an overview of the major tasks for the 2009-2010 school year (Cohort III).

    Table 1. Timeline for What Works in Gifted Education Study

     Fall/Winter 2008/2009Spring 2009Fall 2009Spring 2010
    1. Recruit School Districtscheck   
    2. Screen and Identify Students (grade 2) check  
    3. Implement Math Units (grade 3)  checkcheck
    4. Observe Sites and Conduct Interviews   check
    5. Assess Student Outcomes   check

  4. How many gifted students will be identified?
    We will identify a talent pool of students using traditional and expanded criteria. Approximately 15% of the population will be identified for the talent pool to ensure a population of students who may be from economically disadvantaged communities, who may have identified abilities and disabilities, and who are from diverse racial/ethnic groups.

  5. What instruments will you use to identify the talent pool?
    We will use the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (math subtest), Cognitive Abilities Tests (Verbal, Quantitative, and Nonverbal subtests), and the Math, Learning, Motivation, and Creativity Scales from the Scales for Rating Behavioral Characteristics of Superior Students (Renzulli et al., 2004). Teachers will be asked to complete the rating scales on 5-7 students with above average abilities.

  6. What if we typically identify our grade 2 students in the spring and use norm-referenced achievement tests?
    Many states have a mandate to identify gifted students. If you have norm-referenced math achievement data from tests such as the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills, California Achievement Test, Metropolitan Achievement Test, Stanford Achievement test, we will ask you to submit the students' scores to us. If your district uses group reasoning tests, we will ask that you submit the scores on all the grade 2 students.

  7. How much time will it take to administer the tests?
    If your school district does not assess all grade 2 students with math achievement tests and/or reasoning tests, then we will request that you administer the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills and the Cognitive Abilities Test. The Iowa Tests of Basic Skills Math Subtest requires approximately 30 minutes each plus 15 minutes for distributing and collecting forms. The Cognitive Abilities Test requires 30 minutes each for the 3 subtests plus 15 minutes for distributing and collecting forms. Teachers will need 5 minutes to complete each scale, with a total of 20 minutes per child.

  8. When will the tests be administered?
    Currently, we are targeting April 2009 for the testing period.

  9. Will the districts incur any costs related to the assessments?
    No, we will supply all of the testing materials and pay for shipping and handling costs.

  10. What instructional/curricular models are being used to create the math curriculum?
    We used the following well-known models in the field of gifted and talented education to develop math units responsive to the academic diversity of the talent pool and all other students in general education classrooms:
    • Differentiation of Instruction Model (Carol Ann Tomlinson)
    • Depth and Complexity Model (Sandra N. Kaplan)
    • Schoolwide Enrichment Model (Joseph S. Renzulli & Sally M. Reis)
  11. What will the math units emphasize?
    The content of the units is differentiated to ensure that it is appropriate for the talent pool and all other grade 3 students in general education classrooms. The math units are based on the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Curriculum Focal Points. The units reflect the commonalities of the three models:
    • Tailor essential content, process, and products to the academic needs of students in academically diverse classrooms.
    • Emphasize conceptual thinking, real-world disciplinary inquiry, and problem solving.
    • Assess specific and developing learning needs of talent pool and all other students in the general education classrooms.
    • Help students acquire increasing levels of expertise.
    • Encourage student involvement with problem solving and product development with real-world utility.
  12. How much time is required to implement the reading or math units?
    Teachers will be randomly assigned to implement the math units in 2009-2010. The mathematics units require 1 hour/day for 16 weeks: algebra (5 weeks); geometry and measurement (4 weeks); graphing and data analysis (5 weeks), plus 1 week flex time and 1 week for assessments.

  13. How will you assess the outcomes of the research study?
    How will you assess the outcomes of the research study? We will assess student outcomes with math achievement measures and performance assessment measures to match the objectives of the units.

  14. Does our district need to have an existing programs and services for gifted students?
    No. Your district does not have to have existing programs and services.

  15. What if our district has a mandate to identify and serve gifted students?
    This research study will not interfere with your existing requirements to identify and serve gifted students. Although we may be identifying a larger percentage of the talent pool, you will not need to provide additional programs and services. Talent pool students and all students in grade 3 general education classrooms will be involved with the math curriculum units.

  16. What if I need more information about the research study?
    Please contact E. Jean Gubbins (ejean.gubbins@uconn.edu) or Lisa Muller (lisa.muller@uconn.edu).