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Abstract
The Texas Legislature enacted a new law mandating school districts to establish programs for the gifted in grades k-12 by the 1990-91 school year. Reactions from administrators revealed misconceptions about gifted children. The influence of these misconceptions, known as myths, and other factors on the attitudes of Texas principals toward mandated gifted programs was studied.
The primary purpose of this study was two-fold: (1) to reveal the attitudes of Texas principals toward the mandated gifted and talented programs and (2) to identify the influence of myths and other selected variables on principals' attitudes. A secondary purpose was to provide information to state and regional planners regarding critical areas of need expressed by the principals surveyed.
Cross-sectional survey research was the methodology used to obtain information about the chosen population. The population was stratified according to elementary, secondary, and k-12 schools to which systematic sampling procedures were used to randomly select 302 principals as the sample from the population. Responses were analyzed with the aid of the Statistical Analysis System (SAS). A useable response rate of 89.4% was achieved.
Fourteen research questions guided the development of the questionnaire. Responses indicated that the attitudes of Texas principals were positive but not fully committed toward state mandated gifted and talented programs. Belief in the myths of gifted education showed a consistent pattern for most of the variables. Principals believed in myths 1 through 5 from a little to a great extent and in myth 6 from a moderate to a great extent. An abbreviated form of each myth is as follows: (Myth 1) The gifted will achieve without special assistance. (Myth 2) Disadvantaged and handicapped programs should receive priority. (Myth 3) Acceleration of gifted students is harmful. (Myth 4) Special gifted programs create an elitist population. (Myth 5) Everyone is gifted in some way. (Myth 6) A program that meets the needs of gifted students is good for all students. It was inferred that the belief in myths 1 through 5 to a little extent and the belief in myth 6 from moderate to great extent may be reasons for lack of full commitment of principals to providing programs for gifted students.
