Hello, I've lurked for years and have learned so much in these forums. Backstory: Our school district is very small (one HS, one middle, 2 elementary school), but it is an extremely well funded basic aid district in a CA coastal area for those of you familiar with CA school financing. And whatever the school budget doesn't cover, it seems parents do. On paper the MS looks great: high state test scores, rated as a 'school to watch' by the state, etc. But, it's academically a joke, and the only ones who seem to see it clearly are those who have moved to the town from out of state! My basis for comparison is PS in a strong district in VA for 2nd - 5th gr. We moved back to CA before DD started 6th gr. In VA, DD was in a math/science academy in a PS. We had great MS options with gifted magnet MS and a IB-MYP program. Bottom line, better schools in VA, far more options for GT. DD says 7th grade here is easier than 5th grade on the east coast. The majority (yes majority) of students in her school have a straight A average. Advanced academics are limited to: GT clustering for Lang Arts, where my daughter says there are no differences in learning opportunities that she can see and, she takes algebra as do about 10% of 7th graders. Over the past year, I have met with guidance counselor (who told me 'maybe you should look at private school) and the principal, to advocate for advanced academic classes/grouping those kids together to learn from one another, with the same feedback: 'This is already a high functioning school due to parent education base and socioeconomics, so our 'standard' academics are well above the standard elsewhere, and we don't need advanced academic classes for anything else. We want all our kids to succeeed and they'll sink or swim in HS'. It's ridiculous...I can't believe how they have no idea what the real world holds. Basically, the kids don't get challenged and the parents don't complain because their kids all get straight A's. DD is not PG; she is HG, which means there are plenty of kids like her in the school! She has a 100+ average or above in every class, takes a 0 period extra class, does volunteer work at school, but there's not anything else available. To start over in 8th grade at a private school adds a whole level of stress as there are no private schools in our town, so it would be a whole new world and commute. I have asked the principal to consider independent study (where she could do out offor some classes. However, the principal flat out said she would not consider it. She does not believe there is a problem with the school's level of challenge. She feels like over time the common core rigor will further elevate the school's academics (maybe, but they've implemented nada for 7th gr so far). It is so frustrating. DD feels like most the kids just don't care very much, but that there are many other kids that are more 'like her' who get frustrated with boredom too. It kills me that this school district spends 40% more per student than our old district and wastes it, and refuses to acknowledge that there is benefit for GT students to have challenge in their curriculum. I hear from many parents with kids in our local HS that it gets pretty tough by soph/jr year and they wish the MS prepared them better. Duh! How do you get a principal to understand that the same kids who want to take AP/honors in HS are sitting in her MS bored out of their minds, and that they too are deserving of an appropriate education!! Do you have advanced academic classes in your MS? I can supplement outside of school. But my DD plays an instrument and two sports. Why in wealthy school district should I have to fill her remaining hours with catch up academics? Does anyone have empirical sources/data to support for the advantages of providing advanced academics in MS for the HG? Has anyone successfullly advocated for independent study in a CA school district? I have lots of articles on ability grouping, but many are dated. I have spoken to other parents about this issue and amazed at how many agree with me, but because the elementary schools and HS are good, they endure the MS due to limited options for private schools nearby. Sorry for the long post.
