... parents might flip their lids about it...
and
... Having a math class move faster is apparently a very touchy subject with the parents
Agreed. Unfortunately parental pride gone amuck may be the nemesis of gifted ed, thwarting cluster grouping by readiness and ability, and creating one-size-fits-all rather than appropriate curriculum and pacing. Associating prestige and anticipated future success purely with advanced academics may tend to discount equally or more important aspects of what the child is learning: such as grit-vs-entitlement, growth-vs-fixed mindset, ethics-vs-cheating/gaming the test, a propensity toward sense of humor or defensiveness, and myriad other things observed in various human interactions, contemplated about what is experienced by self and others as a result of how the system operates, and honed in the child's own emerging sense of equality/fairness/equity.
When the preponderance of parents can accept multiple definitions of success and multiple paths to successes, they may be less focused on competition (undermining, excluding, or elbowing someone else's child out of position as a means to advance their own). When kids can try one level of math, move down to another, or even up a level, then freely determine at which level they are most comfortable with both the overall challenge and the balance in their lives with other interests, they are learning to take responsibility for their learning and shape their futures.
For a child to get a message that their self-worth is defined by their academic achievement, and/or their academic achievement relative to others, is a travesty. Many find the
book A Parent's Guide to Gifted Children to be a helpful resource.
