FAQ Category: 2(e) Kids

• First and foremost, 2e students need a supportive learning environment that addresses all of their exceptionalities — not just one at a time.
• Teach to their strengths. Let them dive deep into their areas of interest, and use that engagement to support learning in other areas.
• Address social and emotional needs. Provide direct instruction in valuing differences and learning styles, pragmatic language, flexibility, and defining excellence through growth rather than perfectionism.
• Support executive functioning. Provide direct instruction in organization, time management, and study skills.

There are too many characteristics to list — every 2e student is unique. A few common ones include:

• Above-average critical thinking and problem-solving
• Above-average sensory needs and reactions to sounds, smells, tastes, and other sensory input
• Low self-esteem, often associated with perfectionism
• Poor social skills
• An extreme ability to work deeply in areas of interest

Twice-exceptional refers to individuals who possess both high intellectual abilities and one or more neurodivergent conditions. These conditions can include, but are not limited to:

• Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
• Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD)

Many 2e students go unidentified. The identification process is complicated, and most school districts don’t have a system for identifying 2e students. One of the biggest obstacles is that one exceptionality can hide the other — a school focused on a student’s ADHD, for example, may never think to look for their high intelligence underneath it.

Approximately 6% of all K–12 students. The exact number of twice-exceptional students is unclear, since this data isn’t captured by federal or state departments of education. However, combining data from the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), it’s reasonable to estimate that 6% of all school-age students are twice-exceptional.