It really should apply to gifted students. The premise with FAPE is that ALL students are entitled to a free appropriate public education and that some students need special education services in order to HAVE a free appropriate public education. The rub is that no one is entitled to an
optimal education, and there is still so much mythology about what advocates for the gifted are requesting, that it is too often interpreted as push for optimal rather than appropriate (a.k.a. adequate
). Sometimes I remind myself that special education has only existed as a public school service for 30-40 years--and it has been a bumpy road in terms of compliance. Perhaps one of these days the laws that led to special education will be used (successfully?) to make the case for gifted education. Sigh...A gal can dream....
