School Leaders in Gifted Education: Their Perceptions of Involvement of and Interacting with Parents, Teachers, and Other School Leaders

Effective collaboration among various actors is essential to optimally support the educational needs of gifted students. School leaders play an essential role in creating an environment and policies that foster this collaboration. This exploratory mixed-methods study investigated school leaders’ perceptions of the involvement of and interactions with actor groups (parents, teachers, and other school leaders) in the system surrounding gifted students, while identifying key facilitators and barriers. 136 primary and secondary school leaders completed a questionnaire, of whom 18 participated in semi-structured interviews. Findings indicated varying levels of perceived involvement, with teachers being most involved, followed by parents, and other school leaders. This pattern was mirrored in interaction frequencies across most queried topics. Despite these varying levels, school leaders expressed similar satisfaction with the involvement of and interactions with all actor groups. A positive relationship was found between involvement and interaction levels and their corresponding satisfaction. Actors’ willingness to contribute to and/or communicate about gifted education was a key facilitator, while a lack of willingness was frequently mentioned as a barrier. This study provides an initial understanding of factors impacting involvement and interactions in gifted education from school leaders’ perspectives, offering a foundation for enhancing collaboration and support.