I am trying to find a suburban Chicago school district that has a quality gifted program for my kindergartener who was identified by the Center for Talent Development at Northwestern. His strengths are reading and language arts and we want to leave the Chicago Public Schools. We are also considering a move to Boulder, Colorado and we are wondering if the gifted programs in Boulder are more comprehensive and better funded than the programs here in IL. Any suggestions?

I am in the same boat. I too have a 4 year old who was identified by the Center for Talent Development. I have exhausted all my energy trying to find a suitable fit for him. (He is reading at a 2nd grade level and is not due for kindergarten until 08.) He is currently in a non-academic preschool program and loving it. We also have him enrolled in Northwestern's SEP and he loves that too. I am seriously considering homeschooling next year. The Catholic school in my district is willing to promote him by subject or by a full grade next fall if we get adequate testing done. We are considering that, as the public school offered neither and doesn't have a gifted program either. I am curious why you want to leave the city? I have been told we should move into the city, at least you have the option of magnet schools. The best schools in the suburbs come with hefty mortgages. I used to teach at LaGrange Highlands and contemplated moving there for kindergarten. It is a fantastic school district and well rated. But when I called to inquire about the gifted program I learned that they do not start it until 3rd grade.

maggie,

FYI- my formula fed daughter has an IQ ten points higher than by breastfed daugher. I think the current thinking is that IQ has more to do with genetics.

t j mohaupt- thank you for posting the links to allow access to the funding acts and rules.

Hello all,

I'm new to this, but I desperately need some advice.

My daughter currently attends a gifted school. We love the school. Although she is technically in Pre-K, the school structure allows her to take Math, Reading and Language Arts at higher grade levels.

Testing is required for Kindergarten admission (to those currently in the school and new coming in). My husband and I just had our consultation with her Psychologist (independent from the school) this past Friday. An IQ of 124 is needed to get in the school, but the Psychologist says that our daughter has at a "minimum IQ of 153." She said it was a "minimum" because my daughter hit the ceiling level on 9 of the 11 subtests. On the following achievement test, she scored the highest possible score.

I really thought we had things figured out with schools. We love it here and have family in the area. My children have many friends here, but because of my daughter's scores, the Psychologist is recommending that (after the follow up test for higher ceiling levels) we should consider the Davidson Institute in Reno for profoundly gifted children.

I have attended numerous lectures on nurturing gifted children and how to best allow my daughter to build her self esteem. Of course I want the best for her, but I'm terrified of how this will affect our family. Is it really the right decision to uproot our family and move to Reno? This Psychologist is reputable, she has given presentations at the IAGC conferences and is known within the gifted community. I do trust her...it's just frightening that something I thought would be a good thing is now something I fear.

Does anyone have any advice for me?

http://bboard.geniusdenied.com/BB/images/icons/default/frown.gif
frown
Illinois State Board of Education just cut from its 2008-2009 budget proposal the line item for gifted of $5 million. This is after the $5 million that was in its 2007-2008 budget and approved by the General Assembly has not been released (a/o 4/2/08). Supt. Koch reported at a recent House Appropriations Committee hearing that there were more items in the ISBE budget than there was money, and gifted is one of the items not funded. That was a surprise to the legislators who voted for it.
Illinois Association for Gifted Children is planning its second annual "Please, Don't Leave Our Children Behind" Day on April 17, 2007, in Springfield to call attention to the needs of gifted children. Last year (2007) 483 children, parents, educators, and community leaders attended, meeting with their legislators and viewing sessions in the Capitol. So far this year, 753 are signed up to go. For details, see http://www.iagcgifted.org and click on ADVOCACY. The photo on the HomePage is from last year's event on the Capitol lawn. Please join us. Our children are worth the effort.

Sorry about the typo. Of course, it should be April 17, 2008!

TO: Hi there~
On a smaller scale than yours, my wife and I had to make a decision about enrolling our children in our city's centralized gifted program in first grade. It meant that our kids would travel by bus for more than an hour EVERY DAY across town to the school that would best serve their needs. Big concerns about not only time but also about meeting new people not from our neighborhood. But once the decision was made, we committed to our new school life for our family, because our whole family was involved. Now, one daughter graduated from college and is going on to seminary. Another will graduate from college this spring and will go on to grad school in another part of the country. And our youngest is finishing her first year of college, after transferring after the first semester from a university that was not right for you. Your children are small for such a short time, I recommend--if you can manage it financially--that you do what you can for them while they are with you. If you don't have a system where you are that meets your children's needs and you cannot change it, then go to a system that already exists that will. The hassle is worth it. Your kids are worth it.