Thomas B. Fordham Institute – M. René Islas
“I would like to call our attention to an aspect of education that is constricting human and economic flourishing—the neglect of children with extraordinary gifts and talents with high potential for excellence and productivity. According to the last available data from the OECD PISA in 2012, school systems across the globe only produced 12.6 percent of students that could perform at the highest levels on mathematics. Results are far worse in the United States, where only 8.8 percent of American students achieved at the highest levels. If the Pareto Principle still stands, the U.S. is short 11.2 percent of the 20 percent of the population needed to lead the nation to continued prosperity. Put simply, an education system that values mediocrity over excellence will cut the world’s legs off at the knees. The United States and other nations in our global community must place a priority in breaking the artificial ceilings we place over children with extraordinary gifts and talents in our schools from all populations, including economic, racial, language, and disability backgrounds.”(more)