Speed 30 min

Leveraging Talent Development to Better Identify Underrepresented Gifted Students

Friday, November 14, 2025

3:10 PM - 3:40 PM ET

Location: Convention Center, 304/305

Grade Level: Pre-K-2, Professionals

Ann H. Colorado, Ed.D. (she/her/hers)

Coordinator for Gifted Education and Talent Development
Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools
Williamsburg, Virginia, United States
Kimberly B. Beckerdite, Ed.D. (she/her/hers)

Gifted Services Supervisor
Newport News Public Schools
Newport News, Virginia, United States
Esther Gencheva (she/her/hers)

Educational Specialist II
Baltimore City Public Schools/Gifted and Advanced Learning
Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Short Description: The underrepresentation of gifted students from diverse populations has been an intractable problem in gifted education for decades. Three school divisions with differing demographics have tackled this problem through the implementation of robust talent development programs in primary grade classrooms. Learn about common and uncommon strategies the divisions have used and the results of their work thus far.

Gifted Coordinator Track - Sponsored by National Inventors Hall of Fame

Learning Objectives:

Describe several best-practice strategies to implement in a Talent Development program for K-2 students.
Compare Talent Development Program models and data from three school divisions from different settings (urban and suburban).
Apply easy-to-use handouts in own school setting.