This is fascinating to me, because I have a great-niece in the G&T program in what seems to be the second-best public elementary school in the Bronx/Riverdale, and they live in a less ritzy part of Riverdale. They are culturally upper-middle class at least, have comparatively wealthy families, and she is the only white girl in her class, apparently. (She was waitlisted at Fieldston. Made the huge mistake of doing stuff with her parents, both of whom are in the arts and have unconventional schedules that meant care wasn’t required, rather than signing her up for Fieldston pre-k.) The idea that this is “the hood” is pretty ridiculous, but I don’t think the public elementary school population mirrors the Riverdale SES.
@4thfloor, be aware that that advantageous financial situation does NOT apply to teachers in most parts of the country.