To the Editor:
In response to Stephen L. Gessner’s Commentary “The Gifted Express, Now Leaving on Track 1,” (Jan. 23, 2008):
When will our nation rise above the fog of illusionary closings of achievement gaps? How can the ceiling for achievement be accurately determined when it is not allowed to be assessed? Gifted or advanced learners, who may perform well beyond their age or grade placement, can only take the standardized tests of their year unless they have been grade-accelerated. But accelerative options are hard to come by.
Why would a nation care more about providing erroneous information to its citizenry than about applying appropriate assessment procedures? Where is the outcry from parents of gifted children? How can we say anything about progress in closing achievement gaps when we don’t even use appropriate measures for each child’s achievement?
Diane Hanfmann
Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
