My son is currently in 3rd grade at a private school. The school is fine, actually very good, but I don't think my son's needs are being met. I think he's getting bored. He has said many times this year that he's learned nothing in class, and that he only learns outside of school. I've asked the principal and teacher about moving him to a higher grade for specific subjects, but the school isn't really cooperating. His teacher sent him to the 7th grade class for science one day (where he was extremely engaged and answered most of the questions the teacher asked her students), but it was basically a random visit.
He needs more than what he's getting.
He has a hard time focussing in class, but I think that's mostly attributable to the fact that he isn't being challenged. He has been diagnosed with ADD, but he loves learning so much that when he sees something new, it really isn't a factor.
We do have a gifted and talented school in our district, but I just learned that enrollment is based on a lottery system for gifted kids, and a large percentage of the school (40%) is only open to neighborhood kids in a separate lottery system.
It looks unlikely that he will get in to this "gifted" school, and the rest of the public schools in the district are not ideal. The test scores in the district are among the lowest in the state. I cant see my son getting a better education at his neighborhood public school than he does at his current school.
I'm frustrated that my son needs to be learning at a higher level than his school is willing/able to provide, but there are no solid options for him.
There is one school his doctor recommended for him, but it is far too expensive for us to afford. There are scholarships to this expensive private school, but they aren't available until 6th grade.
