Common Core and America’s High-Achieving Students
Much of the debate around Common Core implementation has centered on providing appropriate support to struggling students; however, in this publication, Jonathan Plucker of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute highlights the unique challenges facing gifted learners. Plucker posits that implementing more rigorous state standards is not an excuse to eliminate gifted services; rather, the standards should raise baseline achievement for all students, including those of high ability. Meaningful differentiation, grade acceleration, cluster grouping, and special programming are cited as strategies districts and schools can employ to ensure high-ability students are sufficiently challenged to achieve at the highest levels. Read it here.
