I'm sure their IQ is the same and there are bright kids, but it is overall lower SES with quite a few ESL kids who came into kindergarten not knowing the language...
There may be many definitions of success and many paths to these successes.
Waldorf schooling comes to mind and causes me to wonder whether some of the hands-on Waldorf methods such as teaching knitting might be a good supplement for kids who are not yet readers for whatever reason. Activities such as knitting are said to increase manual dexterity, exercise math, reasoning, and problem solving skills, and aid cognitive development. If I recall, the students in Waldorf schools begin reading about 3rd grade, and already have a steady portfolio of accomplishments by that time... projects which have kept the synapses firing and the neurological development progressing.
Might some of these techniques be utilized to help rescue these kids so they are not stuck? Possibly this is being done in some more innovative programs?
I did a quick websearch and found several articles... here's one:
http://www.wbez.org/series/front-center/first-grade-knitting-and-stories-are-focus-not-phonics-99638
