Giftedness and High School Dropouts - Neag Center for Gifted ...

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accommodate a variety of learning styles can also be a positive factor according to Hertz
(1989). Ford (1994) identified social environment, family, personality, and attitude
toward school as factors that could help identify potential dropouts from gifted programs.
Many of these factors may also be applicable to dropouts from high school. Roderick
(1991) found that dropout rates increased after transition periods, such as moving from
one school to another. She also found that, even after controlling for background and
school performance, students who had repeated grades were substantially more likely to
drop out, regardless of when the grade retention had occurred.
Gifted Dropouts
Some research studies focused on gifted dropouts. Nyquist (1973) reported that
in New York State 55% of gifted children were underachieving and 19% of high school
dropouts were gifted. Robertson (1991) reported that 25% of all students drop out of
school by age 16, and between 18% and 25% of gifted and talented students drop out.
Solorzano (1983) reported that up to 18% of all high school dropouts are gifted students.
The Marland report (cited by Irvine, 1987) stated that 18% of dropouts are gifted.
However, Irvine (1987) criticized this finding, saying, "We don't know how many gifted
students drop out, but it's not 18 percent. The Marland Report (1972) was incorrectly
interpreted that approximately 18 percent of high school dropouts are gifted" (p. 79).
Although the estimates of gifted dropouts vary, some researchers indicated that a
high percentage of high school dropouts have the ability to graduate from high school and
perhaps even to further their education (French, 1969; Nyquist, 1973). Howard and
Anderson (1978) indicated that approximately 11% of dropouts have the ability to
complete college. Robertson (1991) indicated that this group represents a major loss of
potential to self and society; however, there is very limited research about this group.
Characteristics of Gifted Dropouts
While research studies generally indicated that gifted dropouts have
characteristics of maladjustment, poor self-concept, problems with authority, resentment,
non-conformity, hostility, over sensitivity, and egotism (Betts & Neihart, 1988; Davis,
1984; Johnson, 1970; Vaughan, 1968), others have suggested that gifted dropouts are
qualitatively different from other students and have different developmental needs
(Robertson, 1991; Zaccaria & Creaser, 1971).
In his case study of gifted high school dropouts, Sadowski (1987) listed the
following characteristics:
(a) there was evidence of instability in the home environment, (b) drug and
alcohol consumption [was] a part of the dropout's environment, (c) gifted
dropouts exhibited a lack of interest and motivation in high school, (d) there was
evidence of a negative and rebellious attitude towards school and authority, (e)
there was evidence of an incomplete or inappropriate gifted curriculum in high