Grouping, Looping, and Student Choice: Impacts of Student Driven Curriculum and Instruction in a Rural Public School

In a changing world, true K-12 gifted education can be a challenge to implement within the rural public school system. However, Union County Public Schools, in rural western Kentucky, have found a way to do just that, despite social and economic challenges. We have developed programming focused not only on student area(s) of identification but also on student interest and self-advocacy. This initiative contains a student-driven curriculum along with student/teacher looping. Union County’s ultimate goal through this program is to teach students to harness their abilities to succeed in and contribute to our ever changing world.