What Does it Mean to Place Gifted Students in Cluster Groups?

A group of five to eight identified gifted students, usually those in the top 5 % of ability in the grade level population, are clustered in the classroom of one teacher who has training in how to teach exceptionally capable students. The other students in that class are of mixed ability. If there are more than eight to ten gifted students, two or more clusters should be formed. Isn't Cluster Grouping the Same as Tracking? No. In a tracking system, all students are grouped by ability for much of the school day, and students tend to remain in the same track throughout their school experience. Gifted students benefit from learning together, and need to be placed with similar students in their areas o