Our public district has a pull-out gifted enrichment program beginning in 3rd grade. Unless things have changed recently, the Otis �Lennon group test is used to determine participation. A neighbor told me that they only take the top 1% now. Our kids have participated in summer and winter programs managed, in part, by our district gifted instructor since they were five. They ENJOYED the courses, teachers and other participants, but would have needed more challenge during the rest of the school week.
Beginning in middle school, the public school does allow subject acceleration. However, they do not provide transportation to the high school, so families are forced to decide whether or not to give up income to chauffer their kids so that they can be adequately challenged and educated.
In my opinion, the Catholic school that we switched to has a more rigorous core curriculum than the public schools (comparing the 1st grade experiences of each of my children), so I have found it more beneficial for my kids to have early entranced or grade skipped into their present school than to wait around for a pull-out after four years of grade inflation and praise for zero effort. ~ This criticism reflects my opinion of the curriculum, not necessarily, the teachers who have to follow it.
The dilemma that we face regarding our 10 yo son�s education now is whether or not to grade advance him into 7th next month. Our preference is that he receives subject acceleration in math and possibly science. The school offered a full grade promotion in lieu of a promise for subject acceleration as the scheduling issues may be too difficult to align. So far, we are waiting and hoping (and praying) that they will arrange continued math acceleration to pre-algebra for him instead.
