Guiding Principles in Developing Equity-Driven Professional Learning for Educators of Gifted Children

Gifted education in the United States has a long history of underrepresentation of culturally, linguistically, and economically diverse (CLED) gifted students. Despite the many years of attention toward this pervasive problem, the gap in equity and access to gifted services for CLED students has not closed due to a variety of practices related to assessments, teacher referrals, and support structures. The authors contend that many issues stem from a common underlying cause: a lack of cultural knowledge and competency pertaining to gifted youth. This article presents guiding principles based in professional learning, equity, and gifted pedagogy for use in crafting training experiences: pulse-taking, establishing safe zones, individualizing professional learning plans, cultural training beyond surface-level, school/home connections, identifying grows and glows, and engaging in courageous conversations.