Gifted Students Found Unchallenged

Hundreds of thousands of bright American students sit bored in classes where the teacher rehashes lessons they already know, according to the first Education Department study on gifted children in two decades.

As a result of not being forced to work hard, America’s best students fare poorly against the best students in other countries. Education Secretary Richard W. Riley on Thursday called the problem a “quiet crisis,” and said “our neglect of these students makes it impossible for Americans to compete in a global economy.”

In some subjects, such as biology, America’s top students ranked last among students from 12 developed nations. Most of the country’s brightest children--traditionally defined as those who score in the top 3% to 5% of IQ and achievement tests--said they studied less than an hour a day.

The government report urges schools to offer new opportunities for exceptional students and new training for teachers to better engage the quickest and most creative minds.