Onion
There are differing opinions on the citywides - some say that they arent good for EG and PG because they cater to MG/HG. Our experience has been that it has been the best outcome for our DS as of right now DS is in 1st. The more advanced your kid is the more likely you shouldn't look for long term solutions. Things working now might not work in 2 years.
. The regular GTs are enriched not necessarily accelerated although they might work faster. depending on your district those classes could have the same testing population as the citywides because of how many have 99s. If you have a class of 99s in a regular gifted program it will be better for your DD in that she will more likely have friends who at least understand what she is talking about. However, a regular GT without that kind of population would likely not work, as she will have pretty different needs from someone scoring 90 on the test. (I am using last years scoring, it might be different from this year forward because they changed the test)
In DS citywide, they differentiate for all kids by reading, are working 1 to 2 years ahead ahead in math and the other subjects. But there is a wide range of skills in terms of reading writing and math. And they accommodate it brilliantly and best, they move quickly overall and throughout the day so the typical boredom that gifted kids get doesn't appear. With DS we are comfortable in that he is happy, loves school, enjoys what they are doing. It doesn't come close to giving him what he needs but it's been ok because he is learning to like things he is not necessarily interested in. He is learning to work. He is learning to persevere at things not easy for him, which are few but significant. They are trying to accommodate him in some areas, and that's been good just that they have been willing. I am probably unusual in that I don't think he has to be learning in a classroom at the level he is capable of in all subjects. What was important to me was that he had teachers who got him, friends who didn't think he was strange and he wasn't bored all the time. Some of the time I think is ok.
My DS would not have survived in a regular classroom, or regular GT classroom unless a lot of differentiation. We would have had to look for other options. The long travel time and other inconveniences was worth it for us. And he does a lot of learning outside the classroom, but that's like breathing for him!
DeHe
