Gifted students have a right to a larger share of state education dollars, said the members of a task force that gave its final report to the Maryland State Board of Education yesterday.
But helping the brightest doesn't have to be at a cost to the majority of students, said task force leader William G. Durden of the Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth.
"Equity and excellence are not mutually exclusive," Dr. Durden said, adding that schools need to provide education that is an "optimal match" to each student's needs.
But if Advanced Placement tests are a measure, Maryland's brightest are faring well.
In other business at the board's monthly meeting, the board learned yesterday that Maryland students scored better than the national average on Advanced Placement exams administered by the College Board, and have a higher rate of participation than the nation in that program.
Ten percent of Maryland public school juniors and seniors took at least one Advanced Placement exam in 1994, and they scored an average of 3.26. Nationwide, about 8 percent took at least one test, scoring an average of 3.02.
The exams, given in specific subjects, are scored on a scale of one to five. A score of three or higher generally earns college VTC credit, although some colleges require a score of four or higher.
Of Maryland students taking the test, 73.8 percent scored 3 or higher, compared with 64.7 percent nationally.
Board of Education members lauded the Maryland Task Force on Gifted and Talented Education and its report and already have approved a request for $1.1 million more in state money in 1996 for local schools to use to educate gifted students and to train their teachers. The money is to be used for math and science grants to local schools, summer programs and a statewide database for educators.
Although schools have done more in the last few years, "we found such disparity across the state in terms of programs and services for gifted and talented students, this is an effort to address that issue," said Judy Stough, the staff consultant for gifted education at the state Department of Education, and a member of the task force.
National studies show gifted students who are bored are prone to act out in class or drop out, and education that accommodates these students is their right, not a privilege, said task force leaders Dr. Durden and Freeman Hrabowski, president of the University of Maryland Baltimore County.
Dr. Hrabowski said the top 1 percent of American students scored last out of 13 industrialized countries in one study.
"Most Americans don't understand that," Dr. Hrabowski said. "They assume the best will be OK."
He said that low-income students and those whose parents are not educated are particularly at risk for not getting the service they need.