Poppa,
I was surprised to find myself agreeing with the stealth method since I'm a big proponent of transparency and open records. Unfortunately there's a widespread belief that GT is a label that sets kids apart and makes it harder for the unGT population to excel (as master of none described it so well in another thread). This is reflected in the paltry amount spent on gifted education at the national and local level. Going through the standard budget channels will probably have the same lackluster results. I'm envisioning something more like the directive that created DARPA, the DoD's �Chief Innovation Agency."
http://www.darpa.mil/Docs/Intro_-_Van_Atta_200807180920581.pdfDARPA�s higher-risk, longer-term R&D agenda distinguishes it
from other defense R&D organizations. Perhaps the most important
effect of DARPA�s work is to change people�s minds as to what is possible.
DARPA�s 50-year history reveals a constant mission to create
novel, high-payoff capabilities by aggressively pushing the frontiers of
knowledge � indeed demanding that the frontiers be pushed back in
order to explore the prospects of new capabilities. As an entity DARPA
has many of the same features as its research. DARPA began as a
bold experiment aimed at overcoming the usual incremental, tried
and true processes of technology development. Like the research it is
chartered to develop, DARPA consistently over its 50 years has been
purposively �disruptive� and �transformational.�
As for the multiple choice testing, I'm a big fan of the Diagnostic Pretesting-Prescriptive Instruction described in Assouline's
Developing Math Talent. As far as I can tell, the tests recommended for diagnostic pretesting are above level multiple choice tests. I understand the limitations of standardized testing but what would you substitute? It seems like throwing the baby out with the bathwater to get rid of multiple choice tests instead of recognizing when they're useful and when they're not.
I'm looking forward to hearing more of your views!
