The effects of the personal success plan by Renzulli Learning on the achievement of seventh grade students with giftedness

Abstract

This study tested a method for increasing student achievement in a seventhgrade gifted classroom. Literature on underachievement supports various methods for avoiding underachievement, including developing interests, identifying heroes and utilizing adult helpers, discovering careers, creating academic and personal goals, naming short-term and long-term plans, and completing student interest projects. Renzulli Learning created a Personal Success Plan (PSP) with the intention of creating a tool to increase student achievement of students with giftedness and lower the underachievement in students. Pretest data was taken on the 23 students before the intervention of the PSP was begun. Posttest data was then taken after the intervention was completed according to the timeframe indicated by Renzulli Learning. Through observation of the data, it is evident that there is a positive correlation with utilizing the Personal Success Plan intervention 100% of the recommended time and increased academic achievement. For students who completed the intervention as recommended, academics did increase.