I don't think it matters whether there is a named program as long as the opportunities are still there, but the reason they gave seems odd.
My guess is that the change may signal that the opportunities may be made available to a broader group or different group than those traditionally identified as gifted. Possibly vignettes in the book
mindset, pp 63-67, may have inspired the change (whether intended as an experiment or as a permanent change).
Some of the blanket statements I see in the book about ability offend me.
There is also acknowledgement of differences in opportunities (p47).
But when a teacher says "Good score, you must have studied really hard", what is a student to say if he DIDN'T study much at all? He may think, counter to what Dr. Dweck would like, "wow, I can do well without studying" or, "my teacher doesn't notice me, he doesn't know my abilities, why should I even bother?" That's bad, it leads to disengagement.
Agreed. For positive impact, it might be helpful for the student to hear a simple compliment such as "nice work" in regard to his own work when it comes easily, hear compliments such as "great effort" for those known to have studied hard, and a statement of hope and high expectations such as "not YET" for kids who may need to repeat a lesson, so that students understand that the school and teacher value a broad range of accomplishment, achievement, and incremental learning. It seems that the aspect of praising effort is best applied when students are working at their challenge level, in their zone of proximal development(ZPD).
This may be a question to ask of Dr. Dweck... whether the students in the studies were working in their ZPD, as praising effort is genuine in this context. By contrast, in real life often students are grouped by age and may be in classes where they are not exposed to new material. (If the school really wishes to adopt Dweck's ideas, possibly such information may help convince them to have each child working in their ZPD.) 
I will re-read the book for the presentation. I always pick up on something new the second time 'round. I am trying to open my mind for it, so that I can get the most out of it. But some things slam me to a halt as I want to sputter "but...but..."
Me, too. You may wish to take note of the page number and question/objection. I often find my questions are clarified on a later page or in a later chapter. Using the audiobook is helping keep my re-reading on track.
