Hi, I wanted to chime in about Math Investigations. Yes I suppose fuzzy might be an ok term for it - it is one of those curricula which offer kids a broad variety of strategies for problem solving and not quite as much rote work on plain old addition, subtraction, etc. Some of the parents in our county are very opposed to it. This seems to be due mainly to the idea that the child is building too broad a base, taking too long to move forward to newer topics. I suppose I also was not sure of things in 1st and 2nd, but I think now in 3rd grade things are coming together and my ds is gaining momentum and learning to winnow out the strategies which don't click for him and showing a fairly flexible approach to solving problems. The teachers seem to like it, for the most part. I have not heard any grumbling, anyway...
Having a good, experienced teacher who recognizes which methods are working for which kids is key with this sort of curriculum, I think. Sure, they have to practice them all, but allowing some you-pick-the-strategy problems only makes sense!

Our ds has demonstrated some issues in the past with math fact 'regurgitation', however, so I sort of cheated and had him do timezattack to build knowledge and confidence before he got into the multiplication unit. He has done pretty well this year in multiplication.

Sounds like she is shut out of the gt program in #1 school (for now), not that everything depends on it, but I would be inclined to make the leap and give #2 a try. Have they stated she would be included in that gt program?