http://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/show_story.php?id=26646
Startup schools for 'gifted' emerge as state cuts public funding
New groups embrace definitions for 'giftedness' that go beyond IQ

by Chris Kenrick
Palo Alto Online
August 31, 2012

As public schools reduce extra services for gifted children following state funding cuts, a few startup private schools and support networks have emerged locally with a broader definition of "gifted."

Helios New School, launched in a home with a handful of students five years ago, now leases a colorful corner of Palo Alto's Oshman Family Jewish Community Center with a K-5 enrollment of 35 children.

Synapse School in Menlo Park offers a similar program for children K-8.

Both schools say they use a "qualitative assessment" of giftedness in children that goes beyond the traditional IQ definition.

Another group, the one-year-old Gifted Support Center, offers assessments, support and community for gifted children and their parents, many of whom resort to home schooling after finding their children are bored or do not fit well in regular classrooms, according to support center director Ann Smith.

The broader definition of giftedness -- encompassing characteristics such as reasoning, energy level, attention span, moral sensitivity and "excitability" -- has gained ground with some local parents at the same time that public schools generally have pulled back on special offerings for gifted children.

Strapped for funds, the California Legislature in 2008 loosened restrictions on the state's Gifted and Talented Education program, allowing school districts to keep the funds but redirect them to other educational needs.

As a result, the Palo Alto school district suspended the program it once had of identifying gifted children -- beginning in spring of third grade -- through standardized test scores and checklists of multiple intelligences and indicators of giftedness.

Once identified, children in Palo Alto's GATE program were supposed to be offered "differentiated instruction" and extended curriculum within their regular classes.

"The district remains committed to serving the individual needs of high achieving and gifted students regardless of GATE identification," according to the district's website.

Superintendent Kevin Skelly noted, "In a place like Palo Alto we have an extraordinary number of gifted kids."

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The article is informative, by why put "gifted" in quotes, as if the existence of gifted children was doubtful? Not having gifted programs or ability grouping in the name of equity drives some of the best students out of public schools.

This sounds familiar. Whether restrictions are "loosened" or not, many school districts find ways to redirect resources and / or funds from GT while still fitting within restrictions.

Putting "gifted" in quotes might be related to the fact that they use "qualitative" assessments. I hope that the superintendent meant, "We have lots of gifted kids and we do everything we can to help them," but my understanding of the PA schools (from parents who live there) is that this isn't the case.

I don't know about Helios, but Synapse seems a bit California-kooky. They base their schools on the constructivist approach as well as on a corporate training and certification platform called Six Seconds. IMO, corporate trends don't transfer well to elementary schools. ETA: Now that I remember, there was a Simpsons episode that touched on that idea. A for-profit company took over the school and started implementing business strategies in the classroom or something.

I always end up reading the "great schools" reviews.  It seems that private gifted schools, while nurturing for some, sometimes have a good concept but lack the experience and organization to keep on top of things (leaving some of the best & brightest behind).  Some private schools seem to put more effort into recruiting students than engaging them.

Public Gifted Charter schools have a bit of a reputation of wanting bright kids they can push into high achieving, rather than gifted kids necessarily, especially 2e.  I don't know, personally it sounds like at least it's a culture where kids think, "you go to school to learn".  It seems like they should be able to get funding for special needs services, but if I were the guessing type I'd say they wouldn't get those funds and they would risk loosing everything by trying to make accommodations.   Cynical, much?

I'm not the one who gets to decide.  I keep reading that the best answer is to block schedule classes, accelerate, remediate, and subject accelerate right in your local public school.  Turn "no child left behind" into "all children can learn".


This part is why (like I've read here) if they ask me what class I want my kid in I'll ask "which teacher wants him"? Because to an extent the teacher's opinion of the kid matters more than the content of the lessons.  


See?!  Subject acceleration.  It doesn't take a private school to be able to do that except for by the legislation made just to be a hinder on kids from learning.


Which your regular old public school can do more if they were allowed to group by ability rather than birthdate.  (according to ability using the MAP test scores, from what I've read here).  It's the red tape that's not letting the kids get taught.