Gifted Bulletin Board

Welcome to the Gifted Issues Discussion Forum.

We invite you to share your experiences and to post information about advocacy, research and other gifted education issues on this free public discussion forum.
CLICK HERE to Log In. Click here for the Board Rules.

Links


Learn about Davidson Academy Online - for profoundly gifted students living anywhere in the U.S. & Canada.

The Davidson Institute is a national nonprofit dedicated to supporting profoundly gifted students through the following programs:

  • Fellows Scholarship
  • Young Scholars
  • Davidson Academy
  • THINK Summer Institute

  • Subscribe to the Davidson Institute's eNews-Update Newsletter >

    Free Gifted Resources & Guides >

    Who's Online Now
    0 members (), 86 guests, and 12 robots.
    Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
    Newest Members
    Amelia Willson, jordanstephen, LucyCoffee, Wes, moldypodzol
    11,533 Registered Users
    October
    S M T W T F S
    1 2 3 4 5
    6 7 8 9 10 11 12
    13 14 15 16 17 18 19
    20 21 22 23 24 25 26
    27 28 29 30 31
    Previous Thread
    Next Thread
    Print Thread
    #194297 06/12/14 09:39 AM
    Joined: Mar 2013
    Posts: 156
    M
    Member
    OP Offline
    Member
    M
    Joined: Mar 2013
    Posts: 156
    We may be moving to the Boston suburbs very soon. Does anyone have any suggestions for schools with gifted programs? I know it is not very common in that area, but one of children really NEEDS differentiation/acceleration.

    Thanks!

    Joined: Feb 2010
    Posts: 2,640
    Likes: 2
    B
    Member
    Offline
    Member
    B
    Joined: Feb 2010
    Posts: 2,640
    Likes: 2
    Originally Posted by momoftwins
    We may be moving to the Boston suburbs very soon. Does anyone have any suggestions for schools with gifted programs? I know it is not very common in that area, but one of children really NEEDS differentiation/acceleration.

    Thanks!

    There is the ACERA private school http://aceraschool.org/ . Most public schools in the Boston metro area, including those in our town, do not recognize giftedness. Arlington used to have a gifted program, but according to http://www.arlington.k12.ma.us/administration/budget/fy12/fy12reducedresourcesthroughfy11.pdf it was eliminated due to budget cuts. What is mentioned for Cambridge at http://cambridgeadvanced.org/advanced-learning-in-the-cambridge-public-schools/ does not impress me.

    There are lots of parents with bright kids who value education around here, so they send them to programs such as

    The Math Club
    http://www.themathclub.com/

    IDEA Math
    http://ideamath.org/Lexington.htm

    Russian School of Math
    http://www.russianschool.com/

    and to programs at nearby universities such as

    MIT HSSP
    https://esp.mit.edu/learn/HSSP/index.html

    I think the attitude of some of the well-known public school systems around here is "We're great -- look at out test scores. Who are you to ask for something more?".

    Joined: Apr 2014
    Posts: 4,074
    Likes: 6
    A
    aeh Offline
    Member
    Offline
    Member
    A
    Joined: Apr 2014
    Posts: 4,074
    Likes: 6
    This page lists some programs:
    http://www.massgifted.org/education
    Brockton, MA also has a well-established substantially-separate program from 4th grade up, which is not listed on this page, for some reason.
    http://www.brocktonpublicschools.com/page.cfm?p=26 It originated as a 98%ile program, but now edges closer to 90%ile.

    I've just glanced at the first few towns on the MAGE list.

    It looks like Arlington currently is running a 90th %ile enrichment program.

    Bedford's homepage suggests that they are looking for 98%ile kids. Who knows how that looks IRL.

    Beverly and Brookline do not have G&T programs. I did my training in Brookline many years ago, and I would echo Bostonian's comment that the self-perception is that those inner 'burbs are so fabulous that all their children are "gifted."


    ...pronounced like the long vowel and first letter of the alphabet...
    Joined: Mar 2013
    Posts: 156
    M
    Member
    OP Offline
    Member
    M
    Joined: Mar 2013
    Posts: 156
    Thanks! I will check it out. Bedford looks promising, and I will check out the Acera school as well and the mass gifted web site.

    Joined: Mar 2013
    Posts: 156
    M
    Member
    OP Offline
    Member
    M
    Joined: Mar 2013
    Posts: 156
    For the school districts without gifted programs, do they do ability grouping at all? Or are all of the kids expected to complete exactly the same curriculum? Just wondering, as where we live now has a gifted program and also offers ability grouping/ an accelerated program for math starting in third grade, which is not limited to children in the gifted program.



    Just trying to figure out what is "typical" in the MetroWest area of Boston.

    Thanks!

    Joined: Feb 2011
    Posts: 471
    7
    Member
    Offline
    Member
    7
    Joined: Feb 2011
    Posts: 471
    There is NO state mandate for giftedness in MA. Each town/city decides whether to provide anything. Many times, nothing is done because they're not mandated to do so. A lot of us end up un/homeschooling as a result.

    Hoagie's has a list of MA private gifted schools - http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/schools.htm - my ds8 attended two of them, but is being un/homeschooled now.

    With any of the private gifted or public gifted programs, it really depends on the child, the level of giftedness, the curriculum, teachers, other kids, etc. I don't think any of them cater to pg or hg kids.

    A 2e child isn't guaranteed anything in terms of differentiation or acceleration either since there's no state mandate for giftedness; only a federal mandate for special needs and that's IF they qualify and their academic achievement is impacted. IF you have a high functioning, gifted Aspie who's a grade or so ahead, there's no guarantee you'll get ANY services.

    MetroWest area of Boston - Acera is relatively new, being established less than 5 yrs ago. Birches in Lincoln was established 2-3 yrs ago. Bear in mind, though, MA's geography and the congestion because if you do not live relatively close to these schools, you're likely to sit in traffic and have a challenging commute.

    IF you live in a town/city without gifted programs (like we do), there may be some ability grouping but it's very likely limited. Usually, there's AP or honors classes at the high school level, but usually nothing at the elementary level. As far as I know, children are expected to complete exactly the same curriculum regardless with the public schools and often with the private gifted schools as well; I ran into that issue with my ds with two of them.

    In Mar (or perhaps Apr), I went to a MAGE (MA Association for Gifted and Talented Education - http://www.massgifted.org/) Conference. There is NO state funding for giftedness and very unlikely to be any within the foreseeable future.

    Beverly is on the North Shore and there's no g/t or any accommodation there. There are private schools in Beverly which tend to have some gifted kids and may make some accommodations.

    Bedford is considered, or I think considered, within the MetroWest area. Their public school system has a good reputation.

    Lexington is know for having a good public school system. However, it's also known for being a high-stakes, pressure cooker system. Tons of people from Harvard/MIT there. As a result, it's not a cheap place to live.

    Concord-Carlisle also is a top ranking public school system. It has a reputation as being a little more granola or relaxed than Lexington, but it's also a very expensive place for housing.

    Burlington is supposed to be improving their public schools and more digital friendly.

    Waltham has a public gifted program and is cheaper to live in within the MetroWest area. I think it's only a couple of hours per week, but you'd have to check.

    Framingham is further west and has a public gifted program, but again you'd have to check on what it entails. It's cheaper to live there though.


    Moderated by  M-Moderator 

    Link Copied to Clipboard
    Recent Posts
    Help with WISC-V composite scores
    by aeh - 10/28/24 02:43 PM
    i Am genius and no one understands me!!!
    by Eagle Mum - 10/23/24 04:11 PM
    Classroom support for advanced reader
    by Heidi_Hunter - 10/14/24 03:50 AM
    2e Dyslexia/Dysgraphia schools
    by Jwack - 10/12/24 08:38 AM
    Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5