Louisiana's Comprehensive Curriculum: An Analysis of Impact on Gifted Instruction during Its Primary Implementation Year

• Main Author: Singletary, Cathy J.
• Other Authors: Paul Mooney
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: LSU 2006
• Subjects: Curriculum & Instruction
• Online Access: http://etd.lsu.edu/docs/available/etd-07122006-163348/

In the midst of a national focus on improving student achievement, gifted educators within Louisiana were required to implement some or all aspects of a curriculum with a prescribed content structure. The study measured the perceptions of educators and administrators as they analyzed curricular expectations, program options, method of implementation for the Comprehensive Curriculum, a provided common curriculum, and strengths and weaknesses of the identified curriculum. Findings indicated that implementation of the Comprehensive Curriculum had a significant impact on gifted instruction delivered through Advanced Placement/Acceleration program models, and it created a slight shift toward use of enrichment models at the elementary and middle school levels. Findings also suggested factors that either increase or decrease curricular reform efforts at the school and district level of implementation. A measurement of the scope and nature of existing views provided a call for analysis of alternative curriculum models and showed the necessity for a curricular focus on differentiation toward identified needs of gifted learners.