The Lack of Minority Students in Gifted Education: Hiring More Exemplary Teachers of Color Can Alleviate the Problem

When implemented well, gifted education creates opportunities for future success. However, when gifted students are not placed in gifted programs, they typically struggle in school. Unfortunately, low-income students of color are underrepresented in gifted education. A variety of causes, including a lack of teachers of color and biased methods of identifying students for these programs, contribute to this problem. This essay focuses on why teachers of color are likely to enhance the education of gifted minority students in the United States and why few teachers of color work in school settings. It also offers recommendations for increasing the percentage of students of color in gifted education.