Access to Gifted Programming for 2e Students

The growth of awareness around twice-exceptional education has coincided with and resulted from additional and ongoing research into the topic. Some findings of this research are included here.

Interactions between giftedness and disabilities require twice-exceptional (2e) students to have access to both gifted programming and special education (SPED) resources in order to be successful in school (Baum, Schader & Owen, 2017; Nielsen & Higgins, 2015). 2e students are increasingly recognized by educators, researchers (Baldwin, et al., 2015; Maddocks, 2018; Maker, 2005; Nicpon, et al., 2011; Nielsen, 2002), and parents (Dare & Nowicki, 2015).

However, 2e students still have a hard time accessing both gifted and SPED education (Lovett, 2013; Nielsen & Higgins, 2015). Research conducted by Barnard-Brak et al. (2015) points to little empirical data on prevalence rates, though conservative estimates on the number of 2e students in public schools start at around 360,000 (National Education Association, 2006).

Barnard-Brak et al. (2015) conducted an empirical study using a random nationally representative sample of existing SPED elementary students and found the conservative incidence rate of gifted programming-qualified SPED students to be six times higher than current students receiving both gifted and SPED services. In addition, females, Black, and Hispanic students are least likely to be identified and participate in gifted programming. This study provides parents with a macro view on nationwide discrepancies in the numbers of existing SPED students that should qualify and the actual number of students participating in gifted programming. In addition, this study also provides empirical evidence for th...