Gifted programs, options

[Anonymous]

You can negotiate all you want with admins and teachers, probably to little avail since DCPS really just cares about PARCC results at the ES level. Upper grades students are heavily prepped for the tests and teachers are motivated to teach to the test because their IMPACT evaluation scores are tied to PARCC results. With no law on GT education in DC, in DCPS you're at the mercy of a admins and teachers good graces in providing a GT student with appropriate challenge. Some DCPS elementary schools are quite good about differentiating within classrooms, other not nearly as much. We've had far better math instruction at Mathnasium than in the most gentrified DCPS ES East of (Rock Creek) the Park. The best thing about our DCPS ES was the excellent music teacher. He got our kids rolling on playing wind instruments, although DCPS lacks a formal program for instrumental music instruction in ES. My middle school kids play in competitive wind instrument ensembles at Strathmore through the MD Classic Youth Orchestras program (MCYO).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does your child also have a disability?

He has an ADHD diagnosis.

If his ADHD requires specialized instruction, you can try to get an IEP or 504 for that. You aren't getting anything for giftedness.

Specialized instruction is only on an IEP. Accommodations are on a 504. VERY difficult but not impossible to get an IEP for ADHD only.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can you negotiate informally for your kid to be able to work on their own projects as long as they are related in some way to the curriculum & are not disruptive?

Some DCPS schools and teachers might sort of work with you and try to differentiate in small ways, but they will still not come even close to meeting the needs of a PG kid, especially a globally PG kid who is multiple grade levels ahead in most/all subjects and learns at an accelerated pace. This can often result in not only issues with academic learning and never being challenged appropriately, but also significant issues with social and emotional development.

[Anonymous]

Our ES has (in very rare cases) allowed kids to take math 2 or 3 grade levels up when appropriate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you negotiate informally for your kid to be able to work on their own projects as long as they are related in some way to the curriculum & are not disruptive?

Some DCPS schools and teachers might sort of work with you and try to differentiate in small ways, but they will still not come even close to meeting the needs of a PG kid, especially a globally PG kid who is multiple grade levels ahead in most/all subjects and learns at an accelerated pace. This can often result in not only issues with academic learning and never being challenged appropriately, but also significant issues with social and emotional development.

An actually “profoundly gifted” child will not have their needs met in any school system because by definition they are extreme outliers. In some ways DCPS might be better because of the flexibility that being DCPS (ie not following any particular rules) gives schools. Like if you want your kid to sit in the back of the 4th grade math class doing calculus on Kahn Academy you might get that.

The bigger issue is the likely autism/adhd/other social-emotional issues that go with being profoundly gifted. For that DCPS falls short in terms of organization and focus, but I’m honestly not sure any school district does 2E well.

[Anonymous]

RSM and CTY are good bets. It’s not easy!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone have ideas for how to approach DCPS for providing FAPE for a profoundly gifted child? Our zoned school is not appropriate for our child’s academic needs. What can the school system provide in this case?

OP, try searching the Kids with Special Needs channel, or post there if you can't find anything. There have been threads on there before about education for 2E kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone have ideas for how to approach DCPS for providing FAPE for a profoundly gifted child? Our zoned school is not appropriate for our child’s academic needs. What can the school system provide in this case?

OP, try searching the Kids with Special Needs channel, or post there if you can't find anything. There have been threads on there before about education for 2E kids.

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1125704.page#24774025

[Anonymous]

Years ago Murch had a program where high-performing students in 6th grade (back when ES went to 6th) could teach themselves math for the year at their own pace. It was great.

Not sure where this initiative came from, or what happened to it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our ES has (in very rare cases) allowed kids to take math 2 or 3 grade levels up when appropriate.

I’ve seen this in a few threads, but I have never heard of this happening at my ES. Can anyone name a non-T1 school where an individual kid actually goes to a higher grade’s classroom for a single subject like math?

[Anonymous]

Your kid starts taking classes at GW or Georgetown while in HS under the Dual Enrollment program. Your kid can start in 10th grade and basically get a bunch of college classes under his belt for free.

https://dcps.dc.gov/service/participate-dual-enrollment

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our ES has (in very rare cases) allowed kids to take math 2 or 3 grade levels up when appropriate.

I’ve seen this in a few threads, but I have never heard of this happening at my ES. Can anyone name a non-T1 school where an individual kid actually goes to a higher grade’s classroom for a single subject like math?

In a non-T1 you'd ideally have a group of same-age kids who are advanced.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your kid starts taking classes at GW or Georgetown while in HS under the Dual Enrollment program. Your kid can start in 10th grade and basically get a bunch of college classes under his belt for free.

https://dcps.dc.gov/service/participate-dual-enrollment

GW and Georgetown classes can only be taken in 12th. It looks like the program has been cut down from previous years as well. It used to be that you could take one Georgetown class the first semester and 2 the second, but page you linked to said students will only be able to take one class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our ES has (in very rare cases) allowed kids to take math 2 or 3 grade levels up when appropriate.

I’ve seen this in a few threads, but I have never heard of this happening at my ES. Can anyone name a non-T1 school where an individual kid actually goes to a higher grade’s classroom for a single subject like math?

Happens all the time at BASIS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our ES has (in very rare cases) allowed kids to take math 2 or 3 grade levels up when appropriate.

I’ve seen this in a few threads, but I have never heard of this happening at my ES. Can anyone name a non-T1 school where an individual kid actually goes to a higher grade’s classroom for a single subject like math?

In a non-T1 you'd ideally have a group of same-age kids who are advanced.

Ludlow-Taylor has at least one kid doing this.

I am skeptical that most non-T1s have a group of kids who need to be 2-3 years ahead at the ES level.