Beyond deficit thinking:Providing access for gifted African American students

Nationally, African American students are underrepresented in gifted education programs, and educators everywhere seek ways to identify more gifted Black students. This article addresses a central question in gifted education: How can we recruit and retain more African American students in our gifted programs? The authors review factors affecting the persistent underrepresentation of Black students in gifted education and offer suggestions for recruiting and retaining these able students. The authors' major premise is that a deficit orientation held by educators hinders access to gifted programs for diverse students. This thinking hinders the ability and willingness of educators to recognize the strengths of African American students. Too often, educators interpret differences as deficits, dysfunctions, and disadvantages; thus, many diverse students gain the “at risk” label. We contend that educators must move beyond a deficit orientation in order to recognize the strengths of African American students. Changing our thinking about differences among children holds great promise for recruiting and retaining culturally diverse students in gifted education.