Gifted children are as likely to come from low-income families as from middle- or high-income families, but the chances of their talents being discovered are less than 1 percent, say researchers at the University of Illinois.
Working with children in two Illinois Head Start programs, Merle Karnes, professor of special education at the University of Illinois, is working to identify and develop programs for low-income gifted students. Head Start is a federally fund-ed program for preschoolers from low-income families.
“We’re convinced that there are probably as many gifted and talented children among the Head Start population as there are among children of the same age range from middle and upper classes,” Ms. Karnes said. “And we feel that if these children aren’t identified early and their special needs met, they might just fall through the cracks and their potential might never be fully realized."--ab
