Gifted and Talented
After my Sunday story on the great disparities in programs across Maryland for gifted students, I received a lot of comments from parents and teachers who said they were disappointed in the lack of programs in their schools.
A Harford County parent wrote to say that the a gifted and talented advisory board's suggestions have been ignored. A Baltimore parent wrote to complain that it has been a problem at most city schools. And I got the following e-mail from a teacher:
I could not agree more. At the high school where I teach math and technology, we have had this discussion with the administration for years. We spend ten times as much resources on the lower performing students as on the higher performing students; a consequence mostly of No Child Left Behind. We always seem to be trying to push up the bottom rather than pull up the top. This results in a school where high academic achievement is not encouraged or rewarded. We have never had GT classes and this year, for the first time, we have one AP class.
We receive students who test at a median 5th grade level and continue with Bridge programs, additional classes for students failing HSA's, etc, etc. We do not have classes for the bored, highly performing achieving students. It may be impossible to create a school culture that values college preparation when most of the resources are aimed at the lowest performing students.
Brad Fields
Math Teacher
Dr. Samuel L. Banks High School
Baltimoresun.com's 
Comments
I read your article" the others left behind" with great interest.
YOu are so very correct in stating that gifted education is fragmented and poorly handled. But you know in Baltimore city it was not always that way. My three daughters attended the city wide gifted program at Harford heights elementary( 3rd floor) for several years until the program closed. Children were tested into the program and bused in from all over the city. the compositions of the classrooms was racially diverse, the children were exposed to language, music, art, upper level subjects, every single day. Much was expected and much was demanded. I consider this experience to be one of the hallmarks of our children's academic experience. You did not mention this place in your article so... guess no one told you of it. For some unknown reason, this center was abandoned when my youngest was in 3rd grade. I vaguely recall some muttering about not reaching enought students. But.... the attitude of students, teachers and parents was incredible and learning, magnificant learning took place there.
Just wanted to share this with you.
Posted by: Betty Ciesla | November 19, 2007 5:57 PM
I suggest that paying attention to kids with academic deficits, no matter their genesis (whether from disability, economic disadvantage, etc.) does not preclude any school, administrator, or teacher from valuing gifted and talented students or encouraging them to achieve.
It's really past time that people everywhere stop resenting the efforts to educate and encourage kids with academic deficits. Kids with disabilities and kids from lower income families finally have someone championing them - its been an uphill battle all the way. And the battle is not over yet.
For evidence, we need only look at how few successful inclusion programs there are in any school system in Maryland. Or look at how acceptable it is to denigrate No Child Left Behind or the funds spent on the kids NCLB is meant to help in any conversation. It's the equivalent of using the "N" word 40 years ago - perfectly acceptable to anyone who didn't happen to be African American.
It's too simplistic to blame the lack of academic rigor in schools on the lowest performing students. It's divisive and foments resentment against lower income students and students with disabilities. These 2 groups are already marginalized in our society and likely to remain that way unless they can achieve some measure of economic self-sufficiency through the education they are entitled to.
Posted by: Sue Keller | January 8, 2008 7:15 PM