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Is Gifted Education a Bright Idea? Assessing the Impact of Gifted and Talented Programs on Students

Author

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  • Sa A. Bui
  • Steven G. Craig
  • Scott A. Imberman

Abstract

We evaluate the impact of Gifted and Talented (GT) programs on students through a regression discontinuity (RD) design, and by analyzing a randomized lottery for elite magnet GT schools. We show that GT students in each analysis are exposed to higher achieving peers and, in the RD sample, a more advanced curriculum. We find that achievement for marginal students neither improves nor worsens from GT services in the short run. We also find that lottery winners only perform better in science. Using a bounding analysis we cannot rule out zero, though we do not find any significant negative effects.

Suggested Citation

  • Sa A. Bui & Steven G. Craig & Scott A. Imberman, 2014. "Is Gifted Education a Bright Idea? Assessing the Impact of Gifted and Talented Programs on Students," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 6(3), pages 30-62, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejpol:v:6:y:2014:i:3:p:30-62
    Note: DOI: 10.1257/pol.6.3.30
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Heather Antecol & Ozkan Eren & Serkan Ozbeklik, 2016. "Peer Effects in Disadvantaged Primary Schools: Evidence from a Randomized Experiment," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 51(1), pages 95-132.
    2. Lisa Barrow & Marisa de la Torre & Lauren Sartain, 2016. "The Role of Selective High Schools in Equalizing Educational Outcomes: Heterogeneous Effects by Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status," Working Paper Series WP-2016-17, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
    3. de Roux, Nicolás & Riehl, Evan, 2022. "Do college students benefit from placement into higher-achieving classes?," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 210(C).
    4. Glenn Ellison & Ashley Swanson, 2016. "Do Schools Matter for High Math Achievement? Evidence from the American Mathematics Competitions," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 106(6), pages 1244-1277, June.
    5. John Van Reenen, 2022. "Innovation and Human Capital Policy," NBER Chapters, in: Innovation and Public Policy, pages 61-83, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Shi, Ying, 2020. "Who benefits from selective education? Evidence from elite boarding school admissions," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    7. Zhang, Hongliang, 2016. "Identification of treatment effects under imperfect matching with an application to Chinese elite schools," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 56-82.
    8. Aleksei Chernulich & Romain Gauriot & Daehong Min, 2023. "Endogenous Tracking: Sorting and Peer Effects," Working Papers 20230084, New York University Abu Dhabi, Department of Social Science, revised Jan 2023.
    9. David M. Welsch & David M. Zimmer, 2018. "Do High School Gifted Programs Lead to Later-in-Life Success?," Journal of Labor Research, Springer, vol. 39(2), pages 201-218, June.
    10. Park, Albert & Shi, Xinzheng & Hsieh, Chang-tai & An, Xuehui, 2015. "Magnet high schools and academic performance in China: A regression discontinuity design," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 43(4), pages 825-843.
    11. Fenoll, Ainoa Aparicio & Moscarola, Flavia Coda & Zaccagni, Sarah, 2021. "Mathematics camps: A gift for gifted students?," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 191(C), pages 738-751.
    12. Peter Leopold S. Bergman & Elizabeth Kopko & Julio Rodriguez, 2021. "Using Predictive Analytics to Track Students: Evidence from a Seven-College Experiment," CESifo Working Paper Series 9157, CESifo.
    13. Figlio, D. & Karbownik, K. & Salvanes, K.G., 2016. "Education Research and Administrative Data," Handbook of the Economics of Education,, Elsevier.
    14. David Card & Laura Giuliano, 2016. "Can Tracking Raise the Test Scores of High-Ability Minority Students?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 106(10), pages 2783-2816, October.
    15. W. Bentley MacLeod & Miguel Urquiola, 2018. "Is Education Consumption or Investment? Implications for the Effect of School Competition," NBER Working Papers 25117, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    16. Boustan, Leah & Cai, Christine & Tseng, Tammy, 2024. "JUE Insight: White flight from Asian immigration: Evidence from California Public Schools," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    17. Dinarte Diaz,Lelys Ileana, 2020. "Peer Effects on Violence : Experimental Evidence from El Salvador," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9187, The World Bank.
    18. Simone Balestra & Aurélien Sallin & Stefan C. Wolter, 2023. "High-Ability Influencers? The Heterogeneous Effects of Gifted Classmates," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 58(2), pages 633-665.
    19. Lavy, V & Goldstein, Y, 2022. "Gifted Children Programs Short and Long-Term Impact : Higher Education, Earnings, and the Knowledge-Economy," CAGE Online Working Paper Series 609, Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE).
    20. Canaan, Serena & Mouganie, Pierre & Zhang, Peng, 2022. "The Long-Run Educational Benefits of High-Achieving Classrooms," IZA Discussion Papers 15039, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    21. Pilar Beneito & Inés Rosell, 2018. "Gender responses to competitive pressure in college: a regression discontinuity design," Discussion Papers in Economic Behaviour 0518, University of Valencia, ERI-CES.
    22. Nirav Mehta, 2019. "An Economic Approach to Generalizing Findings from Regression-Discontinuity Designs," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 54(4), pages 953-985.
    23. Booij, Adam S. & Haan, Ferry & Plug, Erik, 2017. "Can Gifted and Talented Education Raise the Academic Achievement of All High-Achieving Students?," IZA Discussion Papers 10836, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    24. Booij, Adam S. & Haan, Ferry & Plug, Erik, 2016. "Enriching Students Pays Off: Evidence from an Individualized Gifted and Talented Program in Secondary Education," IZA Discussion Papers 9757, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H51 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Health
    • H75 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Government: Health, Education, and Welfare
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy

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