Steven I. Pfeiffer, a professor at Florida State University, said people outside the field of gifted education will sometime say of gifted students, "Oh, they're smart, they'll do fine on theirown."

He said the attitude, which he termed as "anti-elitist," can make it difficult to get funding for programs and services to help develop the brightest, most advanced students.

"Giftedness is still not well understood, and children with advanced intellectual and academic abilities can perplex and challenge both educators and parents," Pfeiffer said in a release.