Bringing a Perspective From Outside the Field: A Commentary on Davis et al.'s (2010) Use of a Modified Regression Discontinuity Design to Evaluate a Gifted Program

In this commentary of "Evaluating the Gifted Program of an Urban School District Using a Modified Regression Discontinuity Design" by Davis, Engberg, Epple, Sieg, and Zimmer, we examine the background of the study, critique the methods used, and discuss the results and implications. The study used a fuzzy regression discontinuity design based on an IQ score predicted by the processing speed index and working memory index sub-scores of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition (WISC-4) with the outcome of 1- and 2-year retention in the urban district. Results indicate a statistically significant positive relationship between gifted identification and retention, particularly for students not receiving a meal subsidy. Although this study has novelty, particularly in the outcome and in the use of this design in gifted education research, the focus on IQ scores is a methodological and practical limitation, as is the focus on results for higher income families.