This is such a complex and difficult topic. We see this in our local, self-contained gifted program which accelerates kids by a grade level. Our district wants to get rid of it and have everyone be together, the gifted kids being enriched while the kids at the bottom are enriched by having gifted classmates.
Blah, blah, blah.
This year, our school entered Program Project Improvement under NCLBI since the minority and lower SES kids did not improve as much on test scores at the federal government wants them to, even though their scores outscore similar such groups anywhere and our school is in the top 4% of schools in California.
I do think parents are ultimately the driving force behind kids" success (or lack of success) in school. You can have a great school but if the parents are not trying to keep their children on task, doing the homework at home or work in class, etc., you will not have the same sort of success.
Last edited by jack'smom; 01/14/13 08:27 AM.
