Staff members of The Center for Gifted Studies will be speaking on several topics at the upcoming 65^th annual National Association for Gifted Children Conference on November 15-18 in Minneapolis, MN. We hope you will attend our presentations.

We also encourage you to stop by Booth 607 in the Exhibit Hall to learn more about our programming and services for gifted students, their educators, and their families; Booth 609 to learn about the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children’s 2019 World Conference in Nashville, TN; and Booth 611 to learn about the work of The Association for the Gifted, a Division of the Council for Exceptional Children.

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Teachers, principals, instructional supervisors, superintendents, and school board members must understand the need to shrink Excellence Gaps and realize their unique roles in making this happen. Three videos, along with discussion guides, have been developed through the dissemination component of a Javits Project. Snippets from the videos and suggestions for using them with the various role groups are shared.

 

Victoria Fellows: Building Superintendent Support for Gifted Education 
Julia Roberts and Keith Davis

Support for gifted education can be built from the bottom up and/or the top down. The Victoria Fellows program was created with the goal of garnering support for gifted education among a group of superintendents, and a cadre of superintendents has been involved for five years. This session shares key information about creating and facilitating this advocacy group. 

 

The field of gifted education has evolved from a philosophy of fixed intelligence to one that acknowledges the role of learning, effort, training, and practice on the development of giftedness. Under ESSA, views of achievement gaps evolved to include growth and excellence gaps. Policymakers now see the relationship between access and opportunity and how policies can support talent development.

 

Successful, sustained advocacy is crucial as we navigate the national gifted education landscape to ensure our programs are both maintained and strengthened. Learn more about the importance of advocacy to drive positive policy change, defining success, cultivating champions & leaders, and real world, research based, advocacy tools and strategies that work. This session will provide practical tips and examples of successful advocacy strategies at the state and local level. While every community is different, there are key lessons to be learned regardless of context.

 

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NAGC Convention presenters from The Center for Gifted Studies at Western Kentucky University will be Dr. Julia Link Roberts, the Mahurin Professor of Gifted Studies and the Executive Director of The Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky and of The Center; Dr. Tracy Ford Inman, Associate Director of The Center; and Dr. Mary Evans, former principal of Cumberland Trace Elementary in Bowling Green, KY and Javits Grant Program Developer for The Center. Mr. Tyler Clark, Executive Administrator of the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children and Dr. Richard Roberts will share information at the exhibit tables.