My question is, are public middle and high schools different? Is there a different philosophy, ideology or approach to gifted education after elementary school? Is there more acceleration and differentiation in middle and high school? I know students graduating from Gunn or Paly get top SAT scores. How do they get there, if they are taught single-digit addition and phonics at 2nd grade?
Thanks for any input!
Did you say phonics in 2nd grade??? That makes your school district the most rigorous and advanced in the bay area!
(just kidding - ours only taught sight words).
There is a lot of parental involvement in the kids' success in the bay area (notably in a few school districts, especially PAUSD). Where there is a high density of very gifted adults there is a high density of gifted children as well. And people worried about SAT scores and Ivy admission prospects flock to these "elite" school districts.
That being said, I heard that the rigor in public schools ramps up after 8th grade (I have no first hand experience, just heard rumors).
ETA: Have you seen the number of "tutoring" places (RSM, Kumon, Mathnasiums, Sylvans) and SAT Prep places littering PAUSD and CUSD areas? Rumor has it that many of them have waiting lists.
