WASHINGTON – The National Association for Gifted Children, the national leader in advocating for policies and practices to support high-achieving students, applauds the recommendations contained in a just-released report that would significantly improve how states measure and report on the progress – or lack thereof – of all students, particularly high-achieving students.

High Stakes for High Achievers: State Accountability in the Age of ESSA, released today by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, reinforces a number of longstanding NAGC concerns and recommendations and builds upon policy reforms included in the Every Student Succeeds Act.

“Once again, the team at Fordham has delivered a thorough and well-evidenced report spotlighting a significant gap in our education system and posing needed policy reforms,” said NAGC Executive Director M. René Islas.

“NAGC especially appreciates Fordham including recommendations to require states to report on the learning gains of all students, included gifted learners, and to pull out this performance data through more detailed and precise reporting. Our organization and community championed reporting and accountability reforms included in ESSA; now we need our states to step up to ensure the law is being followed,” Islas added.

The report concludes that only four states – Arkansas, Ohio, Oregon and South Carolina – have strong systems in place today to measure and report on the progress of all students.

“NAGC looks forward to continuing to work with our state affiliates and with organizations like the Fordham Institute to address these deficiencies in reporting. As the report so eloquently sums up, ‘all students – including high achievers – matter.’  States need to recognize this truth and ensure their reporting and transparency policies achieve it,” Islas said. 

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