three distinct groups of fourth grade students:
1) non-disadvantaged students with IQ scores >= 130;
2) subsidized lunch participants and English language learners with IQ scores >=116;
3) and students who miss the IQ thresholds but scored highest among their school/grade cohort in state-wide achievement tests in the previous year.
...
estimates based on test score ranks for the third group show significant gains in reading and math
(emphasis added)
Some may conclude that those who are selected into a program based on testing well, continue to test well.
From reading through the study (preliminary draft dated March 2014, hat tip to Zen for the link) some may say that the "treatment" offered in the study was more in tune with the needs of the cohort of high achievers of average IQ, hence the greater gains in achievement for that cohort of pupils.
This may be a valuable finding with several practical applications for education, including:
1) Encouragement for replicating the classroom practices from the study, so that more schools support the ongoing academic achievement for high-achieving students of average IQ. Many general education programs may not currently be meeting the needs of high-achieving students of average IQ, therefore general education programs may benefit from these reforms.
2) Underscoring the need to design/develop/implement classroom practices which acknowledge and serve the
needs of gifted students, in order to support gains in academic achievement for this overlooked, underserved group.
These findings may be different than concluding that gifted education programs ought to target, select, and serve primarily high-achieving students of average IQ, based on observing that this cohort has benefitted the most from the classroom practices in this study.
