By Victoria Driver and Anna Houseman
Predictions for Gifted Education in 2023: Equity, Assessment, and Student-Centered Growth
New York City’s pause on its gifted programming reignited a national conversation about how gifted programs serve students equitably. At the same time, concerns about the COVID-related learning slide and the changing priorities in K–12 education have focused attention on cultivating independent problem-solving skills and meeting the cognitive needs of every learner. As gifted education continues to evolve, these are key trends we expect to shape 2023.
#1 – Using achievement data alone as a universal screener will worsen inequities
Districts are facing pressure to reduce testing while managing tight budgets, and some are turning to existing achievement scores as a catch-all screening tool. Achievement tests measure learned skills—reading, math procedures, and content knowledge—and they reflect access to instruction, curricular quality, and out-of-school supports. Relying exclusively on achievement cutoffs to identify students for gifted services will miss many children who have strong learning potential but whose achievement has been suppressed by unequal opportunities or pandemic disruption.
Because the pandemic widened existing achievement gaps, using only achievement data as a universal screener risks amplifying inequities within gifted identification. A fairer approach is to include a universal ability measure alongside achievement data so districts can identify students with high cognitive potential regardless of current performance levels.
#2 – Combining achievement and ability data reveals gaps between potential and performance
Achievement assessments are essential for measuring what students have already learned. In contrast, cognitive ability tests assess reasoning and learning potential through verbal, quantitative, and figural problem-solving tasks. Ability data shows how students think, how readily they learn new material, and where their cognitive strengths lie.
When educators combine ability and achievement data, they gain a fuller picture of each learner. Comparing a student’s cognitive profile with their academic performance helps locate underachieving students who have high potential, as well as students who perform in line with expectations. Practical uses of combined data include:
- Incorporating a student’s complete CogAT Ability Profile™ into differentiated instruction plans to align teaching strategies with innate strengths and learning preferences.
- Using ability profiles to inform evaluations and diagnostic work, helping educators identify appropriate supports or enrichment.
- Plotting ability versus achievement for every learner to spot gaps between potential and performance and target interventions more precisely.
#3 – Talent development strategies will expand access for underrepresented students
More districts are shifting from a static model of identification toward ongoing talent development. By tracking ability data, schools can create talent watch lists to monitor students who show potential but have not yet met traditional achievement thresholds. This approach fosters growth through targeted opportunities rather than waiting for a single test event to determine placement.
Talent development emphasizes strengthening individual capabilities across the full range of learners, not just among those already identified as gifted. Observations, teacher interactions, and a mix of formal and informal assessments provide multiple touchpoints for recognizing and nurturing emerging talent. Treating identification as a continuous process helps make advanced programming more accessible to students from diverse backgrounds.
#4 – Personalized learning tied to tailored student profiles will accelerate growth
The long-standing practice of “teaching to the middle” often excludes students at both ends of the learning spectrum. Research shows that personalized instruction fosters growth for students regardless of prior achievement. By using ability and achievement profiles to guide instruction, teachers can differentiate lessons, accelerate learning for high-ability students, and provide scaffolds for those who need more support.
Personalized learning means matching instruction to how students learn best—their verbal, quantitative, or figural strengths—and adapting pacing, complexity, and task types. As schools increase personalized approaches, we expect more students to experience measurable academic gains and greater engagement.
#5 – Social-emotional learning (SEL) will receive greater emphasis across all students
Social-emotional learning helps students manage stress, navigate uncertainty, and build constructive relationships—skills that are essential for academic success. For gifted students, who are often highly sensitive and independent thinkers, SEL supports emotion regulation, peer relations, and healthy interactions with adults.
Addressing social and emotional needs alongside academic development is critical. Effective SEL supports create conditions where students feel safe to take intellectual risks, collaborate, and persist through challenging tasks. We expect SEL to become an integral component of gifted and general education programs alike.
As education adapts in a post-pandemic context, priorities that combine fair identification, ability-informed instruction, talent development, personalized learning, and robust SEL will help cultivate independent problem solvers and critical thinkers. These strategies, implemented together, can advance equity and ensure all students have the opportunity to reach their full potential.
About the Authors
Victoria Driver, M.B.A., M.Ed. Victoria holds master’s degrees in Business Administration from the University of Chicago and in Educational Measurement from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Before joining assessment work, she spent several years in publishing and market research, bringing expertise in measurement, data, and communications.
Anna Houseman, M.B.A. Anna is a former elementary teacher and regional assessment director. She now leads ability product and marketing work for a major assessment developer, applying classroom experience and assessment leadership to support informed instructional practice.
Note: This article was originally published by a research and news organization focused on the digital shift in education.