I define gifted as having an IQ which is so different from the local average, that a child is unlikely to get their educational needs met in a regular classroom.
Hmm. Well, all I can say is that the schools here don't strike me as having much of an awareness of the needs of the gifted or even of the well-above-average. Also, CA has no mandate for gifted IEPs and on top of that, the number of school hours are shorter in California (
every Wednesday is a half day).
I've done some surveying of the local schools and I haven't found anything particularly different from what people in other parts of the US have reported. Namely, there's a big emphasis on NCLB-tested subjects and very little emphasis on science, geography, music, etc. Our elementary-level science books are dated 1999. Ouch.
In this state, a major advantage of private schools is kids get a full day every Wednesday and a slightly longer school day on other days. The upshot is an extra 6 hours or so per week, which leaves plenty of time for science, etc.
Val
