One way to judge if the MPS are doing all they can to fulfill the needs of students is to simply look at what other school systems are doing. Mr. Brauer has asked me to cite ANY data that indicates gifted students aren't being well-educated in MPS. I hope that he won't mind a proof by example.
There is a fundamental assumption of gifted and talented programs: students who qualify are better served by such programs than those targeted for the middle (or lower) third. I've given this a considerable amount of thought because I was trying to conceptualize a general educational system that could serve the needs of all students, but I've become convinced that there is no way to provide appropriate pacing for students at either end of the curve other than ability grouping. As the Seattle Public Schools website states, "Since highly capable students generally grasp basic content quickly and retain it more easily, less time needs to be spent with knowledge and comprehension level activities." I would add, "...and more time can be spent with advanced material and more complex problems." So what does Seattle do? They offer a gifted program that is targeted for students who are functioning at two grades levels above their peers and applicants are selected based on a number of screening criteria. One criterion is that students perform within the top 1% on standardized tests. Does this cost a lot of money? Not really. You can use the same basic materials that are used in other classrooms. Do you need pay special teachers? I doubt it, teachers are probably lining up to get in the door. Do you need special facilities? I don't think so, just take a look at the photo of their building: http://www.seattleschools.org/area/main/ShowSchool?sid=245 While you're there you should take a look at their annual report and the student websites, they are very impressive. So would my children be accepted into such a program? I don't know, but if they qualified I would be glad that such a program existed. It's certainly as good as any private school that I could enroll them in. So what do the MPS offer? Nothing comparable. You can see for yourself: http://www.mpls.k12.mn.us/services/gifted_program.shtml The MPS gifted and talented program is a collection of supplements, not specific schools. Although I can't say definitively, it appears to be the same solution that the MPS use for all special populations: pull-outs. Meaning that students attend regular classes and are taken out of class for short periods of time where their "special needs" are taken care of. Why don't they have any specific schools? I don't know. Why doesn't someone tell us. Michael Atherton Prospect Park TEMPORARY REMINDER: 1. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. 2. If you don't like what's being discussed here, don't complain - change the subject (Mpls-specific, of course.) ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
