Recently, a major debate among education boards nationwide has received a lot of attention due to the impact it could potentially have on our current education system. The debate centers on the issue of segregated versus integrated classrooms and whether or not separate classrooms for gifted students should be implemented in schools across America. Typically, in integrated classrooms students classified as “gifted” will work within and among “average” students—those who receive the appropriate level of instruction based on their abilities and maturity. Many parents and organizations have come forward against this class format, arguing that gifted children are unable to reach their full potential when taught the curriculum designed for the average student. They believe that these students should be separated from their peers and placed in gifted classes where they are taught in a way that allows students to make the most of their abilities. However, a change like this requires increased staffing, hours, and funding for schools nationwide, and with education facing large budget cuts across America, this demand is seemingly impossible to meet. Completely separate classes are unlikely to be funded, but gifted students can still receive the education they need at much lower cost to the school by having one specialist teacher per school with whom the children spend part of their day to meet their need for mental stimulation. this goes beyond what they get in their current classes. The main force behind the push for fully segregated classrooms are organizations like the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) whose primary focus is... middle of paper... ...curriculum. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, n.d. Web. February 11, 2014.Marsh, Herbert W. The Effects of Gifted and Talented Programs on Academic Self-Concept: TheBig Fish Strikes Again. American Journal of Educational Research. No. 2. Vol. 32. Np: American Educational Research Association, 2009. JSTOR. Network. February 11, 2014. Renzulli, Joseph S. More changes needed to expand talent identification and support. Rep. n.8. vol. 92. Np: Phi Delta Kappa International, 2011. JSTOR. Network. 24 January 2014. “Teacher training makes the difference”. NAGC. National Association for Gifted Children, 2008.Web. February 23, 2014. “U.S. Department of Education.” US Department of Education. Np, nd Web. February 22, 2014. “View Your State's Policy on Gifted and Talented Education.” View your state's policy on gifted and talented education. Np, nd Web. January 24. 2014.