Measurement of giftedness of elementary school children and identification of Black or Hispanic educationally disadvantaged gifted children

This descriptive study evaluated the utilization of alternative matrices for identifying gifted and talented students, kindergarten through grade five in one school. This study compared the identified gifted students to those potentially gifted educationally disadvantaged minority students who had been excluded from the gifted program in the sample school because of their COGAT scores on the district matrix. The sample of 38 first through fifth grade students included 23 students in the gifted program and the 15 Black or Hispanic students who had been recommended and tested for the gifted program but did not qualify. The children were evaluated and assessed on two different identification matrices.

Matrix A included the IOWA Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS, Reading Comprehension and Math Total Scores), the cognitive Abilities Test (COGAT), a Student Writing Product or Parent Nomination, a Teacher Nomination, and a Student Interview. Matrix B included the same instruments and tools except for the substitution of the Ravens Standard Association of Colleges and Schools. The elementary and middle schools are located throughout the district to provide neighborhood schools. Students are selected randomly for the two high schools in October of their eighth-grade year. The two schools are located on the same block in the central part of the district.

In addition to a quality education for kindergarten through 12th grade, the district offers a prekindergarten for low income and limited English-speaking four-year-olds, which is housed on three campuses. The district Community Evening School offers adult classes, including a GED program, each semester and during the summer. Houston Community College uses one high school as a campus in the evening. St. Thomas University teaches ESL certification courses in district facilities. Serving a population of approximately 200,000 residents, the district provides opportunities and involvement for the entire community.

The current student enrollment in the district is 29,894. Table 12 indicates the ethnic distributions for both the district and total elementary enrollment. Of this total enrollment, the ethnic distribution is (a) White 38%, (b) Hispanic 19%, (c) Black 24%, and (d) Asian: 19%. The total minority percentage is 62%.

Table 13 indicates the NSLP enrollment for the district, total elementary, and the sample school population. As indicated, the sample school percentage of disadvantaged students is higher than both the elementary and district percentages.