Poster Presentation 26 — An Analysis of Public Opinions Regarding Gifted and Talented Education — John Burrell
Monday, May 20, 2024, 5:00 – 7:00 pm, Student Union Ballroom, Rooms 330/331
This presentation overviews the content analysis of letters to the editor, editorials, and op-eds found in local, university, and national newspapers. The articles were selected using the Nexis Uni news database using search terms “gifted and talented” limited to newspaper opinion sections from 2013-2023. Analysis was completed on 146 items, which fell into four main categories—in favor of gifted education, skeptical of gifted education, seeking to reform gifted education, and no clear opinion on gifted education. This research elucidated common themes among each category. The theme of inequity permeated across these viewpoints. This presentation proposes ways the public discourse around gifted and talented can be elevated by showing where there is unity among disagreement and how views on gifted and talented programming may serve as a proxy for other local and national issues.