Gifted Education in Pittsburgh:
What you need to know

Pittsburgh Public Schools’ Gifted and Talented Education program supports unique educational opportunities for students who are identified as “gifted.” The program aims to provide opportunities and experiences to help students extend their learning, develop individual potential, and become life-long, independent learners.

Many students have benefited from Pittsburgh’s gifted programs. However, parents who work with A+ Schools and others have raised concerns about inequities in who is screened, identified, and supported to be part of these programs.

The numbers tell the story. At the Pittsburgh Gifted Center in 2018-19, only 18% of students were black, while black students represented 53% of our district. Though white students made up 31% of our district, 66% of the students who attended the Gifted Center were white. These percentages have remained almost the same compared to the 2017-18 school year.

Last fall, PPS started a pilot program that expanded and changed the gifted screening process at Arlington, Arsenal PreK-5, Banksville, Brookline, Langley and Mifflin. While we remain hopeful that data from the pilot will provide critical information about how to eliminate bias from the process, results were not available in time for this publication.

A+ Schools staff, alongside parent advocates, will continue working to ensure that:
• The gifted screening process becomes more accessible for all families, specifically for students of color, English Learners, and students with exceptionalities;
• The quality of programming students receive in gifted classes meets the highest standard; and
• All students receive enrichment opportunities to expand their knowledge regardless of gifted identification.

For more information, go to https://www.pghschools.org/domain/1306 or call the district’s Gifted and Talented office at 412-529-3021.

To get involved with the A+ Schools’ campaign to make gifted education more equitable, contact Amie White at amatson@aplusschools.org or 412-697-1298 ext. 113.