Every year, students return to school already knowing much of the grade-level material that will be taught in their classrooms. Research shows that in a typical fifth-grade classroom, as many as half the students are working at least a year ahead in reading, more than a third are advanced in math, and some are working several years above grade level (Peters et al., 2017; Rambo-Hernandez et al., 2024). When instruction does not meet their needs, these students can disengage, develop poor study habits, or even drop out of school.

Retaining G/T Students Through Family Support
Celeste Sodergren, Ph.D., presents research-driven insights into how families of gifted learners seek supplemental academic support. Using a decision-tree framework, she explores the motivations, barriers, and choices families face, helping district leaders better understand parent needs and improve communication, intervention strategies, and services that more effectively support gifted students and their educational success.





