An Interview with a Dean of Education

An Argument For Gifted Programs

Nancy Varghese is an 18-year veteran educator who currently works at a state approved charter elementary school in Georgia. Their Gifted Program is for any qualifying student grades K-5. I asked her if she would be willing for me to ask her some questions about their program. Here is what she said:

What is your name?  My name is Nancy Varghese

How long have you been an educator?  18 years

Where do you work? I work at a state approved charter elementary school in Georgia.

What grade levels are in your school? K-5

Does your school have a Gifted Program? Yes, for K-5

Could you define and explain what a Gifted Program is?  The gifted program targets who are exceptional in their studies performing at the higher 95% of their classes.

Do you feel that the Gifted Program is beneficial to students who are in the program?  The skills in the gifted program may benefit the varied higher skills 

Do you feel that the students who are not in the program are receiving a lesser quality education?  No, I certainly do not. All students from my perspective can receive differentiated assignments based on their level but using a robotics program won’t be possible in the regular education setting. 

You mention robotics. Are only students in the Gifted Program in the robotics classes?  Yes, the robotics integration is only for gifted students and not something that is aligned with the regular standards.

How do students qualify for the program?  There are 4 categories: They have to perform above the 95% on the NWEA MAP in reading or math. They also take the COGAT and have to meet the 90%, also motivation and creativity score has to be higher than a 90%. Teacher recommendations as well. 

What are the outcomes that your school hopes to see from the students in the program?  I can’t say there are specific outcomes for students. Only time will tell. We have students who are already at the top percentage of our school. It depends on what they do when they further their education, what jobs they go into … all the kids are on the exceptional side. So, again, only time will tell.

How “may” the students benefit from the skills learned in the Gifted Program? Does the school hope the children will continue to improve these skills learned in the program?  The skills are related to science, math, and engineering and while the skills are advanced, we hope some students can transfer them to the regular education classes too. Once students go to middle school, they can join the gifted program, so they are always qualified as “gifted” once they are eligible.

Do students who are not in the Gifted Program feel left out, or left behind?  No, they do not.

Do parents of students not in the program feel that the program gives other students an unfair advantage?  No. We allow parent referrals. But it doesn’t mean students are automatically eligible for the program.

Why do you teach the Gifted Program? I operate on the data analysis and technical side of the program. We have a teacher who has her gifted endorsement, she is a qualified Gifted Program instructor. I am not qualified to teach gifted students. You have to take special classes to add to your already existing degree. I have been testing students and analyzing their scores to determine if they are eligible for the program.

If the Gifted Program was stopped, do you think anyone would be upset about it?  Yes. Parents would inquire about the gifted program if it was offered. They would be upset if it was taken away because they would argue that their children are missing out on the higher-level skills. Since we are a charter school, we have to follow DOE guidelines too.  

Since you work in an elementary school, do you think your type of program would work for higher levels of education?  I think the teacher running the classes has to be truly passionate about the program and it can totally be advanced into middle or high school.

I am arguing the fact that New York wants to take away the gifted programs in order to be fairer for everyone. Do you think this is a good or bad decision and why?   I do not think gifted programs should be taken away. I think it serves a small and exceptional population. The regular education teachers are probably not equipped to teach these exceptional students so giving them an avenue to explore those skills will benefit them.

Any last thoughts for us?  In a general education class, there are the exceptional students, students who are at grade level, and then students who are below grade level. In Georgia, certain schools have implemented an EIP. Early Intervention Program targets students performing below 35%. There are teachers supporting these students within the classroom or at times pulled out to provide instruction and any skills that the students have not mastered. 

In the same sense, students who are highly performing above the 95% rank should also have opportunities for personalized instruction where higher skills are introduced and taught.

Varghese made the argument that so many others are noticing. We have the responsibility of helping students at all grades and performance levels to do the best they can to the best of their abilities. It is our responsibility as parents and educators to help them in every way that fits their specific needs. Anything less than our best is holding the students back.  If we expect students to do their best, we have to provide the scaffolding that will help them reach that potential.