To hold gifted programs accountable for promoting excellence and equity in terms of program policies and services should be a key goal of parent advocacy for culturally diverse gifted students. Further, to reverse underrepresentation among culturally diverse students in gifted education, the role of parents as advocates is critical. A Gifted Program Advocacy Model is presented to provide a foundation for understanding the advocacy process, as well as an Advocate’s Guide for Assessment of Equity in Gifted Programs. To assist parents in the beginning stages of an advocacy process, barriers for culturally diverse gifted students are discussed, and recommendations are presented to parents to help them understand and use core attributes of giftedness in the advocacy process. As parents understand advocacy efforts around issues of gifted program equity, they are better prepared to develop a plan and take action that serves the needs of their culturally diverse students.

This user-friendly text offers a comprehensive overview at the interface between bilingual/multicultural/ESL education and gifted education. Written by Jaime A. Castellano and Eva Diaz, nationally recognized and award-winning leaders in both gifted and bilingual education, this book bridges research and practice and has far-reaching implications for educators at all levels.

Removing the Mask defines the difference between treating students equally and treating them equitably in gifted and talented programs. This book challenges readers to reflect on the integrity of identification processes. In reality, most identification procedures have educators identifying opportunity rather than giftedness. Instead of focusing on deficits, Removing the Mask gives attention to uncovering the assets of students living in poverty.

Authored by Jaime A. Castellano Ed.D. and Andrea Dawn Frazier Ph.D., this book brings together the leading experts in the field, who combine both knowledge of and leadership experience with gifted students from diverse backgrounds. This edited book helps to raise the awareness level and knowledge base of all educators, particularly teachers of the gifted, who work with a kaleidoscope of special populations in gifted education.

Chapters in this volume focus on topics such as gifted education in rural environments, highly gifted learners, twice-exceptional children, gifted females, gifted and talented students on the autism spectrum, English language learners, underachievement, and students from culturally or linguistically diverse backgrounds.