<p>Sunday was the retirement party for one of the key teachers in the full-time Gifted program at my former elementary school. Sadly, the program was cut last year, as the principal was not interested in sustaining it any longer. Apparently, he got too much heat from other principals for putting all of the "best and the brightest", along with their test scores, at his school. For some years before, it was not allowed for out-of-area Gifted students to transfer into this program.
This may not seem like a big deal, because relatively few students and parents have experience with a full-time Gifted program, one where students are surrounded by other Gifted peers in a phased environment. However, my family has been involved with the program since its inception, and I've seen the effect it has had on students. It gives them mental stimulation often lacking in "regular" programs, teaches them how to use their creativity in constructive ways, but most of all, teaches them that it's ok to be different. My pride in my nerdy ways comes completely from my background in the full-time program, while I see my friends from pull-out programs sometimes make self-deprecating jokes about their talents.
I guess it depresses me that school officials would sacrifice an entire population of students for their own ends. Gifted students have higher suicide, drop-out, and drug use rates than the composite student population, mostly due to boredom and feelings of isolation. Administrators can find plenty of money for support programs for minorities, unwed mothers, and other at-risk groups; where is the money for Gifted students?
Thanks for letting me rant.</p>
<p>EDIT: I just realized this should be in the Parent Cafe, but I can't delete it and repost it. Sorry.</p>
<p>Does your district offer public magnet schools for gifted students? We have them here, and most of the gifted students wind up being placed into these schools.</p>
<p>There is one magnet school for middle schoolers, in the three areas of the county.</p>
<p>Willow, our district has a full time gifted program which draws kids from all over the district. Their solution to the complaints of other principals of a "brain drain" on their schools (along with the test scores) was to send the test scores of the kids in this program back to their "home" schools in their neighborhoods. That way, the principals were eager to identify kids for this program because once enrolled their scores went even higher. It was always funny because when my kids scores would come home they always had been assigned to a teacher I had never heard of. It was a good solution for our district.</p>
<p>One more comment...our district's gifted programs funds were part of the "special ed" budget. They figured that kids at both extremes of the spectrum have special needs and deserve funding.</p>
<p>HoyaMom:</p>
<p>I think that is a great idea about funding a "gifted" program with special ed money. I have always argued (without a lot of support) that in our particular public school district, there are children that are getting left behind. These are the children that are not being challenged academically. I absolutely agree with you and Willow that these students have specialized needs and deserve funding.</p>
<p>The parents of these students should not be forced to spend lots of money to send their kids to private schools because the programs for gifted students do not exist. In our case, the high property taxes we pay all goes to funding education. This education should meet the needs of all students.</p>
<p>HoyaMom,
That's a great idea. Would you be willing to PM me the name of your county so I can do more research on that? If not, I understand.
Gifted is also considered special ed in my district, but I think federal funds for the Gifted have been cut or something.
On a related note, has anyone read A Nation Deceived: How Schools Hold Back America's Brightest Students? What resources have you found effective in dealing with the school board regarding Gifted education?</p>
<p>Willow, what a shame. That is really terribly short sighted. Many of us parents of gifted kids do what sokkermom says, give up and go to private education. For us, we realized that it would be a 20 year battle after the public elem school math specialist told us not to worry that our S1 was doing 6th grade math in 1st grade--she would make sure that he was average by grade 3. (Yes, it really happened!)</p>
<p>S2 is what they call "profoundly gifted," and I did a lot of reading on this many years ago. I don't remember the names of the researchers involved, but I'm pretty sure that there is a very well respected and long-lived center for studying gifted education at Kent State University (OH). You might check that out.</p>
<p>Wyogal,
I hadn't even considered situations like that, where administrators try to 'normalize' Gifted kids. That's awful!
Unfortunately, my county/state is obsessed with test scores right now, as they bring money with them. The sending of the test scores back to the old school just might work, though- although I'm sure the other principals would still complain about the school with the Gifted program getting more awards.
The saddest part is what the lack of opportunities has done to Gifted students. I was talking about this, and my best friend said, "I personally am very glad that I never had to go through a full time gifted program like you. I would always skip what gifted days we had because it was so dumb." The drivel that often passes for Gifted ed these days usually makes kids wish they WEREN'T Gifted...</p>