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.

Rural communities and school systems are the heart of many states across the nation. Yet, many of the challenges facing rural gifted education remain unanswered. There is limited research or policy focused on gifted students, teachers of the gifted, or gifted programming in rural settings. Understanding how culture defines rural communities and influences educational decisions is key in overcoming challenges within gifted programs. This study seeks to explore some of the perceived challenges and the influence of rural culture in providing gifted services in four rural school districts in Texas. Findings highlight the struggles of rural gifted programs to identify and serve gifted students. These struggles fall into three categories: limited funding, limited time, and limited resources available for gifted programs.

The U.S. public K-12 student population experienced a significant increase in the number of English language learners (ELLs) since 2010. Public schools responded to this change in demographics by increasing their services for ELLs; however, many were not initially prepared for this change. Within the field of gifted education, there is a concern that the numbers of identified gifted ELLs has not increased in proportion to the total student population of English language learners. According to the 1971 "Marland Report to Congress," the identified gifted population should be representative of the total student population and any subgroups, including ELLs. This study examined the 2015-2016 student data in Texas, and findings indicate a disproportional representation of ELLs in gifted and talented programs across the state.

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Rural gifted education historically has struggled with its own identity. Limited research exists on rural gifted programming, effective ways to implement gifted pedagogy and curriculum, and how to maximize limited time, resources, and funding. Rural communities are complex, dynamic entities, full of nuances and guided by a sense of place and rural culture. Faced with limited funding, resources, and time, rural gifted programs struggle to provide consistent quality enrichment to gifted learners. This study reflects on how rural gifted education policies and procedures in Texas have evolved over the last 30 years and the realities of providing gifted programs in rural school districts. Findings highlight a need for written policies and procedures for gifted programing, challenges gifted teachers face in rural districts, and the positives of being educated in a rural gifted program.