Washington, D.C. — The National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) strongly opposes the Trump Administration’s attempt to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education (DOE). Eliminating the DOE would have far-reaching consequences for all students, gifted and talented students, by weakening educational oversight, creating instability and confusion, and limiting access to key resources that support learning at all levels.

As a cornerstone of our educational system, the DOE provides critical funding and oversight to promote fairness in education and help all students receive the support they need. It administers funding to schools in economically disadvantaged communities, enforces policies that protect fair access to education, supports research to advance best practices in teaching and learning, and facilitates grants and federal student aid programs that make higher education more accessible. Among these essential programs, the Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Program plays a vital role in funding research and initiatives that improve identification and support for gifted learners in every neighborhood across the country.

NAGC urges Congress to reject efforts to abolish the Department of Education and reaffirm its commitment to this essential institution. The future of education depends on strong federal leadership and investment in learning at every level.

Although formal segregated schools were abolished seven decades ago, de facto segregation by race has increased by 64% over the last 35 years. We know that segregated schools, no matter how they come about, have negative impacts on the students they serve. Black and Latino students are already far less likely to be identified as gifted or high-ability. When we factor in the reduced funding and services that informal segregated schools tend to receive, it only further disenfranchises them from the high-quality education they deserve. 

The Administration’s investment of $20 million in new awards to the Department of Education’s Magnet Schools Assistance Program was designed to further desegregate public schools by attracting students from diverse backgrounds. This critically needed funding will go a long way in addressing the lack of high-quality education opportunities for underrepresented and historically marginalized students. With an additional $139 million in proposed funding for fiscal year 2025, NAGC looks forward to working with the White House and Members of Congress to ensure this critical equity in education programs receives the funding it needs to grow and thrive.

Noting their strong commitment to supporting historically marginalized students, the Association calls on the Administration to continue the momentum and take its next step toward equity through increased proposed funding for Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Education Program Grants. Javits grants, totaling a mere $16.5 million for the current fiscal year, are the only source of dedicated federal funding for gifted and talented students and are intended to reduce the same achievement gap the Administration aims to close. NAGC is requesting this critical program be funded at $32 million in fiscal year 2025.

As part of the Administration’s initiatives to desegregate schools, the U.S. Department of Education also released a new report detailing the inequities that exist for Black and Latino students accessing math, science, and computer science courses. NAGC urges the Administration to publicly support the Advanced Coursework Equity Act (H.R. 6328, S. 3729) to help address some of the issues outlined in the report. By creating an $800 million competitive grant program, this legislation will allow states and schools to address the gaps in enrollment in advanced courses through various mechanisms, such as universal screening, expanding advanced course availability, and covering advanced course student testing fees.

While we are many years removed from the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision, we know that segregation and inequity in our schools continue to be a pervasive yet solvable problem. NAGC is encouraged by the Biden-Harris Administration’s recent actions to ensure equitable educational opportunities for our most vulnerable and marginalized students. We look forward to continuing our work with the Administration and Congress to support every student’s right to receive an equitable, high-quality public education.

Download a copy of the comments here.

Javits grants are the only federal funding dedicated to the nation’s gifted and talented students, yet funding for Javits represented .000002%. in the FY2023 federal budget, or roughly $16.5 million

In their rationale for eliminating Javits grant funding, House Republicans stated, “The [Appropriations] Committee is concerned that the Department [of Education’s] focus on equity within gifted and talented programs further divides American students and leaves them less prepared to compete in a challenging global economy. The Committee believes gifted and talented programs should be merit based.”

If Congress is serious about ensuring gifted and talented children are truly prepared to compete in the global economy, it will fund Javits at historic levels and acknowledge that merit and equity are not mutually exclusive. NAGC believes the more gifted and talented children our schools can identify and serve, the stronger our country will be. All children should have opportunities and support to realize their full potential. A child with gifts and talents that go unrealized because of their socioeconomic status or zip code is counterproductive to our country’s interests.

NAGC calls on the U.S. Senate to reject these disturbing cuts that will only harm our nation’s gifted and talented children.

Opportunity for Advocates to Take Action Today!

NAGC, in conjunction with the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), is asking advocates to take action and send messages to their members of Congress, asking them to oppose this drastic cut to Javits.

Visit CEC's Legislative Action Center to take action today!

Research on student performance on state and national tests shows that there is a growing gap at the top of the achievement scale between white students and students of color and between advanced students from low-income backgrounds and those from more advantaged circumstances.

Ensuring the availability of gifted education programs and services at every grade level for all students who would benefit from the challenge, combined with equitable identification procedures, would reduce the underrepresentation of diverse learners in gifted education programs and put more learners from every population in a position to increase their achievement and maximize their potential.

As NAGC stands in strong support of Pennsylvania’s equity initiative, the Association calls on Congress to appropriate additional funding for Javits grants so more students can benefit from improved gifted identification and services.

Catherine Little, Ph.D., Professor, University of Connecticut, Neag School of Education, Storrs, CT

NAGC has been a constant presence and influence on my professional path. I am excited about the prospect of giving back by serving as the President-Elect and then President of the NAGC Board of Directors. I have great respect for the commitment of our members and leaders and for the power of the NAGC community to support gifted and talented learners and those who work with them. NAGC is poised to continue to strengthen equitable opportunities for talent development, and I will contribute my energy and leadership to NAGC’s efforts to connect research to practice, cultivate inclusion, pursue advocacy efforts, and engage a wide range of stakeholders. My own experiences with research, teaching, and outreach, combined with prior service on the Board, have prepared me well to facilitate conversations and collaboration toward NAGC’s goals. I look forward to encouraging innovative efforts to build bridges across groups within NAGC and broaden our community with partnerships. I will seek creative opportunities to enhance how the organization supports current members and enables effective networking and collaboration. Further, I am committed to ensuring the financial health of the organization and engaging in thoughtful decision-making efforts that support NAGC’s future.

School and District Representative

April Wells, Gifted Coordinator, School District U-46, Elgin, IL

My desire to serve students, widening access, and dismantling barriers, compels me to serve and connect perspectives as we advocate for the timely and timeless supports that honor the identities and trajectories of gifted learners. Leveraging my leadership in the area of providing opportunities for children with potential for advanced learning and achievement, particularly for children who have historically been underserved, I endeavor bridging experiences and highlighting the ways in which we can shift our focus to embrace a more responsive approach to gifted programming that is inclusive and honors the diversity of gifted learners from all backgrounds. My commitment to seeking out opportunities for all children, my knowledge of the research on best practices and ability to bridge scholarship and practice, my ability to lead others towards substantial change and my willingness to collaborate with others situate me in a way that honors the direction of the field while embodying a restorative approach for previous mishandling of students from underrepresented populations. Coupling the efforts at the systems level with the essential partnership of family and community, I envision shaping innovative mindsets that foster experiences for us to honor the brilliance and strengths of our nation’s beautiful thinkers.

Network Representative

Antonia Szymanski, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Gifted Studies, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY

As a parent and researcher in the field of gifted education for over 20 years, I have dedicated my professional career to understanding and promoting improved educational experiences for high-ability students. My passion for this field stems from my personal experience as a parent of a gifted child who struggled to find the right educational fit. Through my research, I have discovered that this struggle is not unique and that many gifted students, especially those who are underrepresented, face similar challenges. My research focuses on gifted learners and how teachers can recognize and nurture their potential. I believe that ALL students deserve access to a high-quality education that challenges and supports their unique abilities. My work in this area has allowed me to develop innovative strategies and interventions that can be used to identify and support gifted students from diverse backgrounds.

I have presented my research findings nationally and internationally, advocating for the needs of gifted learners. I firmly believe that the education of gifted students is not a luxury, but a necessity for our society’s progress. By recognizing and supporting these students, we can unlock their full potential and create a better future for us all. Overall, I am committed to making a difference in the lives of gifted learners and their families, and I will continue to work tirelessly to promote their educational needs and well-being.

At-Large Directors 

D. Betsy McCoach, Ph.D., Professor, University of Connecticut, Department of Educational Psychology, Storrs, CT

I have spent the past 29 years passionately involved in the field of gifted education, first as a public-school teacher, and afterward as a researcher. My research experience in gifted education is extensive: I have served as a co-Principal Investigator for the National Center for Research on Gifted Education, co-editor of Gifted Child Quarterly (2012-2017) and founding co-editor of the Journal of Advanced Academics (2006-2011). I am the 2023 recipient of NAGC’s Distinguished Scholar award. I have served as chair and program chair for the Research and Evaluation Network and the SIG Chair for the Research on Giftedness, Creativity, and Talent Development SIG of AERA, and I served on the Massachusetts Gifted and Talented Advisory Council from 2019-2022. I have also served on both the Publications Committee and the Awards Committee of NAGC. I look forward to the opportunity to use my knowledge and research skills to collaborate with NAGC members and leaders to tackle some of the most pressing issues currently facing NAGC and the field of gifted education more broadly.

Dornswalo Wilkins-McCorey, Ph.D., Teaching and Learning Coordinator, Virginia Beach City Public Schools, Virginia Beach, VA

Dr. Dornswalo Wilkins-McCorey (Dr. Dorn) is a coordinator in the Department of Teaching and Learning in the Office of Gifted Programs in Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS). The programs and services she coordinates focus on underrepresented populations, technology, and evidence-based gifted professional learning opportunities.

In her 24 years as an educator, she has worked in various capacities in gifted education. Additionally, she was selected as a 2006 Mary T. Frasier Scholar, the 2020 National Gifted Coordinator of the Year for the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) and the 2022 Virginia Association Gifted Leader of the Year.

Dr. Wilkins-McCorey serves as an officer in various organizations: the Virginia Association for the Gifted (VAGifted) President, VAGifted conference chair, Virginia Advisory Committee for the Education of the Gifted (VACEG) secretary and Project E-Ignite Board. Additionally, she is a Supporting Emotional Needs for the Gifted (SENG) Model Parent Gifted (SMPG) facilitator.

Presidential Appointee

Darryl L. Peterkin, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Student Success and Equity, Macaulay Honors College at The City University of New York

Darryl L. Peterkin, Ph.D., is Associate Dean for Student Success and Equity at the Macaulay Honors College at The City University of New York. Previously, he was Assistant Dean for Student Success in the James H. Gilliam, Jr. College of Liberal Arts at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland. Prior to this, he directed the University Honors Program and the Clara I. Adams Honors College at Morgan from 2010- 2022. A proud Southerner, Dr. Peterkin has devoted much of his adult life to recreating his late grandmother’s biscuit recipe and the pursuit of Carolina-style barbecue. He is an enthusiastic fan of the Atlanta Braves, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), and all things Star Trek.