The district that I'm thinking of open enrolling my kids into doesn't even identify kids as "gifted"... However... they take the MAP scores and other data and they simply put kids into the right level. Hence, there are 30 percent of kids working a year ahead in math. With reading they do the same thing (supposedly).
On the one hand, this sounds reasonable and quite natural. On the other hand...
- it may be strictly achievement based therefore a kiddo who may be underachieving may never receive a challenge worthy of their potential?
- is there a cap at working one year ahead? Or may children progress at their own pace?
- do children work alone or become acquainted with intellectual peers with whom they may sometimes work?
- a gifted kid with their own unique (often quite complex) way of seeing things may have unusual questions... to accommodate children working in various levels, are the lessons computer based?
- if lessons are computer based, are there accommodations/modifications/supports for LD/2e, or do all children work through the same curriculum? (is the computer seen as providing the accommodations/modifications?)
- is this a flipped classroom?
These are just a few questions which parents may wish to know to the answers to before committing.
... DD is one of the kids identified as gifted and in a gifted cluster... she is one of 4 in her grade of 80...
Some might say a weekly parent-volunteer-led pullout is not a cluster?
... I don't care about the "gifted" label... I just want them to do work at the right level for their abilities.
Agreed. Focusing on meeting student needs, rather than seeking prestige, status, or elitism may benefit many students.
