Does Universal Screening Increase the Proportion of Culturally, Linguistically, and Economically Diverse Students in Gifted Education?

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the impact of implementing a universal cognitive screening tool on the proportional representation of culturally, linguistically, and economically diverse (CLED) first-grade students in Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) programs. This study employed a comparative interrupted time series design utilizing a difference-in-differences (DiD) regression model along with additional statistical analyses (two-proportions z-tests and Mann-Whitney U tests) due to limitations in the sample sizes. Participants included first-grade students (N=425) from two demographically and socioeconomically similar districts in a Rocky Mountain region. One district implemented the universal screener (intervention group n=368), and the other did not (control group n=57). The study was guided by the research question: "Does universal screening increase the proportion of culturally, linguistically, and economically diverse students in gifted education?" Descriptive analysis revealed a noticeable increase in the proportional representation of CLED students, particularly among culturally diverse and multilingual learner (ML) groups, following the screener's implementation. Z-tests demonstrated statistically significant increases in GATE qualification rates within the intervention district for culturally diverse (p< .001), multilingual learners (p=.004), and economically diverse students (p< .001). However, Mann-Whitney U tests comparing intervention and control groups yielded non-significant results most likely due to the small and homogeneous control sample. These findings indicate that universal screening positively influences the identification of CLED students for gifted education but highlight methodological constraints including limited sample sizes and insufficient demographic data tracking. Recommendations include systematic demographic data collection, multiple screening opportunities, local/group norming, and early enrichment program integration to enhance equitable gifted identification practices. Future research should address these limitations by utilizing larger, more diverse datasets and examining the longitudinal effects of universal screening on equity in GATE programs.