Published by the Manhattan Institute, City Journal specializes in urban policy issues. Historically, gifted education has faced criticism. These criticisms have intensified in recent years, often appearing quite extreme.

For instance, Katie Arnold-Ratliff, a writer from New York, recently questioned the validity of student giftedness. She argued that gifted programs might be ineffective, citing a study where only 12.3% of identified gifted students achieved eminent success by age 50. This includes roles like Fortune 500 executives or award-winning journalists. In her view, the fact that 88% did not achieve such prominence raises questions about the value of these programs.