Originally Posted by indigo
An overarching difference between public and private schools is that currently public schools are charged with closing achievement gaps, performance gaps, excellence gaps. While some efforts may be successful at helping to bring up students at the bottom, another way to close achievement gaps is to limit the growth/performance/achievement of students at the top.


I agree, but I also see that as part and parcel of the testing requirements which have been enacted by elected officials. Although schools are supposed to be testing whether the student has made "adequate yearly progress", in reality all that is tested is whether the student meets the grade level standards. If we truly followed the adequate yearly progress mandate, then even gifted learners and bright children would face more rigorous expectations- a good thing in my opinion! The insane emphasis on testing also hurts those children on the other end, those for whom meeting the standards of 2-6 grade levels below is actually a victory and should be recognized as such.