Hi Lorel - Our school is really weird this way. It's definitely not PC to talk about GT there. Any GT accomodation done is definitely done very quietly and off the books. I've heard the admin/teachers talk about GT testing like it is stupid and the magnet is an evil monster stealing their kids. And I do think many parents of MG kids are happy with the school in general. I even know parents who sent their kids down to the gifted magnet and have pulled them back to this neighborhood school. Our neighborhood school is considerably more warm and fuzzy than the magnet. And I get the feeling that once you get to about 3rd or 4th grade, you really do see the difference between the kids who were hot housed pre schoolers and those that really need a lot thrown at them to stay engaged, because this seems to be around where parents start to really change their minds. But I don't blame parents of more MG kids at all for wanting going to the magnet. There are a lot more extras - suzuki strings, foreign language, chess club, very engaged parent base (although we do have this), etc.
So getting in is pure lottery. My 99% kid had the same odds as a 85% kid who sent in a portfolio to get GT status. We are actually sitting on the waiting list at #5. I honestly thought the first 2 months of school, we'd get a call. Unfortunately, the best time to get in is first grade. They let in about 100 first graders. Getting in at 2nd grade is only possible if kids leave, which some do, but it's a lot tougher. I said somewhere else, it's time to start looking for the back door! I really had hope for our neighborhood school, but it's not a great fit for DS. And the magnet may not be either, but at least they "get" GT down there, which would be a start. They open up another class at 3rd grade, so odds are slightly better at 3rd. I just don't think we'll make it another year and 1/2 with DS in a good place mentally.
Anyway - sorry that got so long winded. I could clearly go on and on with this topic!
