Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments Grade skips (maybe multiple) into a diff. school

Hi all,

Has anyone accelerated his/her child into a different school (ie. from elementary to intermediate (or middle) school or middle school to high school etc.). If so, how is that negotiated by the district?

My son just finished 4th grade (skipped K). The schools are chunked k-3, 4-5, 6-8, 9-12; He has said many times that he does not want more work, but would like to feel challenged. So far, each year the bldg principals have said they will select a teacher who would be able to provide more challenging work etc... Between all of the test prep that goes these days plus regular curriculum, I think it is unrealistic (and unfair) to expect a teacher to plan a separate curriculum just for our son. It hasn't worked so far.


We feel he is ready to be accelerated (so does he) again, but I guess my question is, since he will be in 5th grade next yr (it is only a 4th and 5th grade school) the only place to send him would be either the middle school or high school. Is this our only option? What else could the district provide? If it is the only option, then how is that negotiated? Would the district be expected to figure out a way to make that work? Would they provide transportation to and from the middle school or high school?

We have a mtg. w/my son's principal next week, I would love to be able to go in w/some information and/or suggestions.

Thank you!!

You may have read this elsewhere on the forums, however it is good information, applicable to your situation, so it bears repeating...

1) Research and print what your state laws may say about gifted education services and/or acceleration. Davidson offers a great starting point, How gifted-friendly is your state?

2) Check your district policies on gifted education services and/or acceleration, and print this as well.

3) Look into the Iowa Acceleration Scale (IAS), which helps evaluate readiness for a whole-grade acceleration (full grade skip). More info at the website of the Acceleration Institute, including Selected Books on Math Acceleration.

4) Have you seen the advocacy Guidebook on the Davidson Database?
More advocacy tips:
- In this recent thread, several posts discuss reasons to not use the word "bored" when advocating.
- While in general there is good and bad in everything, a focus on negativity and disappointment may be seen as smacking the oobleck with a spoon and creating an unyielding solid... it works against advocacy.
- Focus on the positive, on the ideas set forth in the law and in school policies, and how the school can implement these to help meet your child's needs for intellectual peers and an appropriate level of academic challenge and pacing.
- Tips on preparing for a meeting.
- In addition to many helpful threads on the forums, the Davidson Database contains many articles by experts.

If I understand correctly, you are asking about SSA into 6th+ grade, while remaining in 5th as the home grade, not whole-grade acceleration into 6th?

This situation has not come up with my own children, but many years ago, two of my siblings were in this situation. It so happened, though, that the district had a cluster of buildings, including elem and middle, adjacent to the high school, separated only by an athletic field, so transportation was not an issue. Each of my sibs simply walked unaccompanied across the field to the other school. Which, now that I think about it, would probably not be acceptable in today's liability/school safety climate.

I hope others will be able to help with their more current experiences.

@indigo:
Thank you for all of the info!! I should have mentioned that we're in NY, so no mandate to provide for gifted children. As for our district--no policies on gifted children; only an accelerated program that begins in the 8th grade. In the meantime, I will check out the links.

@aeh:
Yes, I probably should have mentioned that too -- not a whole grade acceleration. Right now we're just looking for math and science. Thanks for the feedback we have a similar set-up-- the ms is just a field away from the school he is in now. But like you said, I don't think he would (or should) walk there by himself.

We don't really do science here at that level but is 5th grade science likely to be more challenging that 4th grade or just a different topic?

We don't have this problem right now but we may next year.

DD10 enters 6th grade in August but will be in the 8th grade rapid paced Maths class. As the middle school stops after 8th she may have to be bused by the district to the high school for honors Geometry once she hits 7th grade. I am not thrilled about the prospect...

@puffin: Not much science is taught in 4th or 5th grade and whatever it is, no matter what the topic, is way too elementary.

@madeinuk:

Not thrilled b/c of the logistics of it? The age difference, etc? She will be w/her friends/regular classes the rest of the time, right?

Did the district agree to bus her to the hs?

I'm not sure how I feel about the idea of our son going to a different school for math and/or science, but I don't see another way of getting his needs met academically.

@bbq797

Rural SD == regional high school so 20 mins min between schools X 2 means other subjects like Music potentially get eliminated for her.

The age thing doesn't bother me as some of the kids will be from her 8th grade class I would expect so she would be used to them.

Do the MS and HS have the same start and end times? One solution is to schedule 1st or last period at the HS on which end is most advantageous. This cuts the transportation time during school in half and minimizes the impact on the MS schedule. But even for a HS 1 mile from the MS, we've had similar time/schedule problems, leading to loss of the MS exploratory arts program.

Madeinuk, is doing an online math correspondence class in her usual school (in the library, or in her usual class math time) an option?