Choosing the Right School: Decisions, Decisions!

Get parents of school-aged kids together and talk invariably turns to education. “Where do your kids go to school? How do you – and they – like it?” We are all searching for that elusive “great fit” – the setting in which our kids thrive and we can relax, right? Given my dual role as a CTD writer and a mom, I was all too happy to research gifted program options and school decisions for the winter and spring 2011 Talent newsletters. I wish I could say my interviews led to the key to effective gifted education or one specific rubric for making the right school choice. Instead, I discovered that finding the right school for any particular child can not only involve a fair amount of trial and error, but sometimes re-evaluation year to year as well. Two discussion-worthy ideas that emerged from interviews include the following: 1.    Knowing your Child and Asking the Right Questions are Critical From special schools to cluster grouping to pullout or push in approaches, there are many different, and highly effective, gifted programming models. But, not all models work well for all gifted children. There are resources that can help you ask the right questions and determine the best fit. One good source of information is the NAGC web site. What have you found effective? Share your story! 2. Acceleration as Key to a Good “Fit” Both parents and educators commented that grade-skipping, when done with the right student at the right time, can make a difference in school “fit.” Resources cited for helping parents feel confident in the choice were the Iowa Acceleration Scale and the Institute for Research & Policy on Acceleration (IRPA). The IRPA web site has a thorough question and answer section on acceleration, and on January 29, IRPA will host a Webinar, Academic Acceleration for Advanced Learners: Practical Issues. Has acceleration worked for you? Why or why not? Let us know what you think! Audra Nelson is an education writer who lives with her husband and three kids, ages five and under, in the city of Chicago.