Melmichigan,
I live in Texas and yes the public school districts anywhere is a concern.... So am I so stern on public school, at this point I can't be but what is my options, because I am not one for home schooling and don't know of any private schools in my area that focus on the gifted. But I am new to all of this and still stumbling through all of this so maybe by the time my kiddo is 5 I will have it figured out!
Some private schools have GT kids making up a large percentage of the class. You need to look at the private schools more closely.
Most established private schools in Texas administer intelligence tests prior to admittance and will place children with their scholastic peers. I work with a man who was placed in 3rd grade when he was accepted as a 5 year old AND he was given a full scholarship as well as were many of his classmates.
Over 1/4 of the students in his graduating class were National Merit Scholars and the average SAT score among them was > 1500 with SAT > 1400 for the class. That implies a very high IQ average in his class as well as very good educational opportunities for everyone.
A friend's daughter goes to another private school here in town and she had a 1570 on her SAT this fall. She says she is not the smartest person in her class - maybe in the top ten. I know she was reading Tolkien and doing perfect pencil sketches when she was 10 years old. She has since developed an amazing work ethic and plans to go into medicine like her dad and mom.
