The changes to MACC are rooted in peer-reviewed, international research.  District staff have complied best practices in gifted programming, research behind the 6-week recommended service model, and the need for gifted education to be inclusive. 

Here are some of the findings.

1. Although many in gifted education widely promote cluster grouping gifted students, little empirical evidence is available attesting to its effectiveness.
2. Enrichment can be offered to a larger segment of the school population, and sometimes the whole school. This is considered less elitist and is more likely to be supported by individuals concerned about equity
3. Assessment tools to identify gifted children are tested on groups that do not include students from diverse backgrounds.
4. Gifted education programs often use restrictive criteria to decide who can participate. As a result, they focus on a small group of students and can shut out others who could benefit from their supports and services.
5. Gifted students must find the balance between feeling competent (intrapersonal) and getting along with peers (interpersonal); they must strive to be successful in tasks that present a challenge for them.
6. Fear of failure due to high expectations, feelings of depression, and feeling isolated from peers are just a few examples of the problems Gifted students may experience.
7. Gifted students benefit from learning emotional intelligence skills as they learn to interact more effectively with others.
8. Gifted students benefit from emotional intelligence training, and their social and intellectual functioning can be strengthened by teaching these students age-appropriate emotional and social skills like emotional adjustment, peer relationships and managing stress