Preschool Gifted Education

Abstract

This descriptive study investigated the challenges related to implementing gifted education services in preschool centers. Participants were 254 licensed preschool center directors in a southern state. Participants completed a researcher-created survey including both selected response items and constructed response items to examine the perceived challenges of providing preschool gifted education services. Ninety-five percent of the preschool center directors had no formal policies or practices for gifted education, and 86% of the center directors had provided no gifted education training to staff. Using qualitative techniques of constant comparative analysis, substantive and theoretical categories yielded seven verifiable themes related to perceived challenges of gifted education in preschool centers: (a) finding and retaining a trained and qualified staff; (b) balancing time, space, and money constraints; (c) implementing gifted education practices; (d) overcoming oppositional beliefs; (e) acquiring educational resources; (f) outside factors; and (g) finding information and guidance. Results of this study imply that preschool educators have misunderstandings about gifted education in early childhood, and model policies and practices for recognizing and serving gifted children in preschool settings may be needed.