@soxmom Wow, 25% is a huge number. THat’s likely both kids with strong innate abilities and kids who are solid and work hard to study for the test. That’ group right there is what is needed in any school.
Though I don’t believe that strong kids should remain in place for the sake of all others, it’s important to note, that if parent’s don’t pursue it and kids don’t get into those gateway schools, their trajectory changes forever. That’s sad to me.
Also, someone noted earlier that being #1 in a Boston school isn’t even as solid as being #25 in some good suburban school. Public schools aren’t equal. Not even close. And when you throw in private schools, the formula changes again. So being bright isn’t good enough, it’s being bright and being strong enough to swim in a bigger pool of better candidates over and over. With each time, someone being left back.