I really dislike discussions framing the situation in this light, because the obvious answer is "both!"

I always prefer whatever can be done cheaply to help kids at both ends of the Bell Curve. Too often schools think spending money is the only answer to any problem, and so they don't think creatively about ways to help kids. I'd like more cheap, creative solutions at both ends of the curve.

That's my answer and I'm sticking to it!

Kriston