School District Equity Initiatives That Impact Access to Accelerated and Advanced Learning

Abstract

Equity and access to advanced learning opportunities have been issues of concern for educators in the field of gifted education for decades. Gifted programs are noted as some of the most segregated learning environments in schools today. This study was designed to investigate how school districts have addressed educational equity through the lenses of school district administrators. Researchers conducted semistructured 1-hr interviews with 32 superintendents or their designees (e.g., gifted coordinator, Director of Equity, etc.) about school district initiatives designed and implemented to improve equity and access to advanced and accelerated learning opportunities, with a focus from 2015 to early 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were asked about the definition of educational equity in their district, targeted equity initiatives in highly capable programs, challenges or barriers they encountered when they implemented change, and their experiences with diversifying their work force and professional development. Findings included changes in curriculum and improving access to advanced learning opportunities while addressing persistent challenges in school funding and diversifying the workforce. The findings of this study addressed a significant gap in gifted education research: actions taken by school district administrators that went beyond changes in identification processes to increase equity and access to advanced learning opportunities.