I have no experience with this school, but I'm reasonably familiar with closing the achievement gap from work that I've done assessing research applications in education.
"Achievement gap" refers to the differences in achievement between kids of different socioeconomic groups, races/ethnicities, or genders.
In theory, closing it is a great idea, but in practice, it can mean ignoring kids who are doing well while focusing on kids who aren't. I've had debates with educators who think this is a perfectly reasonable idea. Their opinion has been that the kids who score "proficient" are doing fine already. That they could learn more doesn't seem to be important to the people I've spoken with.
Some evidence for this attitude on a wide scale is 1. resistance to acceleration; 2. statements that gifted kids are "elitist" or "bragging about their accomplishments;" 3. NCLB, which has serious penalties for low test scores and no incentives whatsoever for moving bright kids at a faster rate.
If you're thinking about the school, I'd recommend preparing a list of specific questions about their program and how it could serve your child. Then call them and make sure you pin them down. Give specific examples of what your child can do and see how they react.
Skepticism isn't a good sign. Vague answers to questions aren't a good sign. "Our teachers do a great job of differentiation" isn't a good sign. If they tell you that everyone evens out by third grade, seriously consider saying, "Thank you for your time," and walking away.
Beware of the PR and make sure you get details. Schools always push PR hard, and there's a danger that they won't live up to it.
Last edited by Val; 04/23/12 03:44 PM.
