In MN, we have across district open enrollment, and one of the results of this is a bunch of self-contained GT programs are popping up in the greater Twin Cities area to keep kids in district (or attract out of district kids). Many are school-within-a-school type setups, where the GT kids are housed in a neighborhood school but have GT for all their core classes and share the specials teachers (music and phy ed, e.g.). In my son's school for HG kids, the curriculum is at least one-year advanced, and they use a lot of curriculum designed for GT kids. Generally more engaging to GT kids and faster paced. When they finish the main curriculum, there is time to add cool and interesting units that most kids in regular classrooms don't get because the slower pace of the regular curriculum. Even though there is a range of abilities in the classroom, it is an all-GT range, easier on the teacher, and easier for the kids to make friends (lots of choices).
The trouble comes when the program ends. Most of these GT programs are only for elementary, and then parents scramble to find a good fit for middle school.
ETA: Welcome psteinx!!
Edited again to add: note re: Twin Cities area. Unfortunately, I don't think this is happening all over MN.
Last edited by st pauli girl; 04/26/13 12:54 PM.
