Several researchers have observed a significant under-representation of ethnic minorities and students from low-income families in gifted education (Banks & Banks, 2007; Milner & Ford, 2007; National Research Council (U.S.). Committee on Minority Representation in Special Education., Donovan, & Cross, 2002; Swanson, 2006). As Milner (2007) points out, in the past, a lot of research and resources went into efforts to make special education classes accessible to students from diverse backgrounds. While these efforts were more or less successful and teachers have received extensive training in recognizing learning disabilities, teachers' education frequently lacks training regarding the recognition of gifted students (National Research Council (U.S.). Committee on Minority Representation in Special Education., et al., 2002). To complicate matters, even those teachers who are sufficiently trained to recognize gifted students, often fail to recognize giftedness in students with minority or low-income background (Banks & Banks, 2007). The reason for this is that giftedness is perceived of as not related to cultural context. However, as Milner (2007) has pointed out, giftedness and perceptions thereof emerge out of specific cultural contexts and are shaped by sentiments about how giftedness "presents" itself in a student. Moreover, as he points out, only if teachers are trained in cultural competence can they recognize giftedness in students from diverse backgrounds. However, the recruitment of gifted students from diverse backgrounds is just the first step; retention of gifted students from diverse backgrounds is another important issue that has been neglected so far (Banks & Banks, 2007; Milner & Ford, 2007).
On a micro-level the people affected by this problem are gifted students from diverse backgrounds, educator, and parents. On a meso-level schools and educational
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