Thanks for your replies!
The thing is, our district is going through budget cuts and is considering consolidating our split self-contained GIFTED classes (3/4 and 5/6) and making them single grade classes - thereby enabling the district to serve more students. However, by doing so, they will end up closing one of the sites that serve this community. The parents from that site are incredibly angry by the inconvenience this would make for them. As it is, the program is housed at three different elementary schools, and so many families already have to transport their children further than they would like.
Anyway, at a meeting of interested parents, one of them said that they found some research that proves that split classes are better for gifted children. However, they couldn't find the reference. They are trying to make a case to not change the set-up (even though more children will end up being served) because of the inconvenience for them.
My strong assumption is that the statement was in reference to something like what you all referenced previously. I too was in a "split grade" (reg ed) class in 5/6 and was only one of three 5th graders in the class. It was a wonderful year for me.
However, I have never found research to indicate that in a self-contained GIFTED classroom a split would be preferable to a single grade class. If anyone has any information on research specific to this, I'd be most appreciative. I feel that these families are blinded by their own self-centered-ness and inconvenience. When my husband and I talked about the possibility of having to drive our daughter to stay in this program, we agreed that we would easily drive over an hour each way to keep her in such a program.
Anyway, thanks again for any info you might have!!
