Identifying Hispanic Students of Outstanding Talent: Psychometric Integrity of a Peer Nomination Form

Minority students are historically underrepresented in programs for gifted students, and biased identification procedures are often suggested as a reason for this racial inequity. This study investigated the reliability and construct validity of a peer nomination form used to identify Hispanic students of outstanding talent (originally designed by Anne Udall and modified by the researchers) with the cooperation of 670 students from three southwestern U.S. school districts. The reliability of the instrument is generally sufficient to warrant its use in the identification of gifted Hispanic students, and the validation process highlights suggestions for the instruments appropriate use.