PROCESS OF POLICYMAKING AND ACTION TO STRENGTHEN THE DISCOVERING OF STUDENTS WITH TWICE-EXCEPTIONALITY

Purpose The amount of twice-exceptional (2e) students is far lower than theoretical estimates indicate it should be. In a sample of 100 elementary school students in Taiwan, only 0.022% of the students were identified as 2e (Kuo & Chen, 2022). According to Taiwan’s Special Education Act (2019), for students to be considered 2e, they must meet the identification standards for both giftedness and disability. Some students with disability may not reach the current standard for giftedness and therefore not be provided with the opportunity to receive gifted education services. In the United States, the National Association for Gifted Children (2018) recommends that examiners assessing giftedness use the expanded and ancillary index scores of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fifth Edition (WISC-V) to identify 2e children. The present study presents the efforts toward policymaking and action in Taiwan related to implementing the use of the expanded and ancillary index scores of the WISC-V to identify 2e students and thereby provide them with an opportunity to develop their talents. Design/methodology/approach According to Friedrich and Mason (1941), public policy is a proposed course of action for a person, group, or government within a given environment with opportunities and obstacles that the policy was proposed to leverage and overcome, respectively, to realize an objective or purpose. The present study revised and legalized policies related to a specific group of stakeholders. To achieve this, the interactive policymaking model proposed by Driessen et al. (2001) was used for policy communication and implementation. The goal was to promote the use of the expanded and ancillary index scores of the WISC-V for identifying 2e students so that these students could be provided with additional opportunities to develop their talents. The researchers engaged in discussions with the Ministry of Education and the K-12 Education Administration, collected expert opinions on gifted education and disability, and used multiple advocacy to communicate the concepts of equity gaps with teachers and administrators. The opinions of these stakeholders were recorded, and the qualitative data were coded and analyzed to develop decision-making and action processes. Findings/results The study revealed that educational authorities, experts, and teachers believed that promoting the educational rights of students with special needs is crucial. However, we observed diverse perspectives regarding how to reduce equity gaps for these students and regarding the methods that should be adopted to assist students with disabilities. The six stages of policymaking and action proposed in this study can be used as a reference for individuals engaging in top-down promotion of education policy. Originality/value The interactive policymaking model was used to communicate and implement new policies aimed at improving identification of 2e students and to minimize obstacles to subsequent policy implementation. The approach integrates theoretical knowledge with practical needs, effectively supporting 2e students. By promoting equal educational opportunities, the study can assist educators in nurturing the talent development of 2e students in Taiwan and thereby assist these students in achieving a better future.