Best schools for gifted students (Baton Rouge, Lafayette: transfer, neighborhoods, universities)

[planotxtransfer]

I'm moving to Baton Rouge from Plano, Texas and I want more input about the best school for gifted students in Baton Rouge.

After talking to educators at the Louisiana Department of Education, education reporters at several local newspapers around Baton Rouge and school officials at both public and private schools, I was given the recommendation by the majority (of those contacted) that for gifted children private schools are not the best solution in Baton Rouge for highly gifted students - the academic scores, attendance at Ivy league colleges and scholastic rankings just don't rank against the gifted students at the public schools.

In Plano, Texas the majority of gifted students and the students being recruited by the Ivy League schools are from other countries or their parents are from other countries. I was told that population of highly gifted student is in the gifted programs at the public schools - not the private schools. I want my children to compete against the best and brightest students that compete at the Ivy League level.

Do you have a highly gifted child? Could you provide stats for your school based on acceptance to Ivy League universities? How does your private school stats for gifted children compare to the public school gifted program stats?

After contacting several Ivy League universities I was informed that attendance from Louisiana students is predominantly from public schools in Baton Rouge, not private schools.

[inarush]

I'd like to know the answer to that as well. I will be relocating to Baton Rouge or nearby and I'm researching for the same thing. Please let me know if you hear of anything more. Thanks

[Tigger81]

I wonder what she found out...this thread is pretty old.

[houstonreadhead]

The LSU Lab School looks good. Louisiana State University Laboratory School | Baton Rouge, Louisiana (http://www.uhigh.lsu.edu/index.htm - broken link) If I had kids, I would seriously consider it.

I'm a teacher and I'm going to consider teaching there, actually. My first choice is the Lafayette region, but BR is second.

Scott

[MetroBTR]

LSU Lab School and Baton Rouge Magnet are good schools.

[inarush]

Is there a gifted school in Lafayette?

[AW1]

In my experience the public gifted program is the way to go if you think about Ivy League for your kids.
My older son went through the program (Buchanan , Glasgow Middle and Baton Rouge Magnet High) and ended up in Ivy League schools. He is on his way to PhD right now.
My younger son went for few years to catholic schools and is now in public gifted middle school program. He is not the only one in school coming from catholic schools. Most parents are happy with the switch.
I believe if you are having gifted kid the catholic schools is not the best option. The schools care about image. Strict uniform rules, strict behavior rules and good organization are the hallmarks, but classes are overcrowded (32 students), homework is redundant with keeping you busy kind of work and classes are conducted with a very structured environment.
Public schools felt to me liberating with their approach. You will still get the negatives like old facilities and transfer station busing, but the kids are exposed to a lot of academic and art competitions. Emphasis in teaching how to think and work independently is a norm. The teachers are usually great and not stifled in their creative approaches.
The results and comparisons are visible in regional and state rallies and competitions.

[southseeker]

Orly Aw1?

I went through the same set of schools. Buchanan, Glasgow, and BRMH. Those are w/o a doubt the best schools in the city. You have my word on this. Baton Rouge High doesn't have gifted, as it's a pure magnet school, but it's one of the better high schools in the state. Another good option for gifted elementary is Westminster. Spent time there before I went to Buchanan.

[Park Bolivar]

Originally Posted by southseeker

Orly Aw1?

I went through the same set of schools. Buchanan, Glasgow, and BRMH. Those are w/o a doubt the best schools in the city. You have my word on this. Baton Rouge High doesn't have gifted, as it's a pure magnet school, but it's one of the better high schools in the state. Another good option for gifted elementary is Westminster. Spent time there before I went to Buchanan.

This coming week, my wife and I are going to start looking at the gifted Pre-K program at Buchanan.

I've got some friends who send their kids to Buchanan for the K-5 gifted program and are absolutely delighted with it. I'm personally torn (long-term) between gifted education and some of the fantastic magnets (such as BRCVPA, WHAM, South Boulevard, and Forest Heights).

The problem, honestly, that I have with gifted 'programs' inside of neighborhoods schools is how hard it is to gauge the quality of both programs, as their test scores are averaged together.

[sdann1]

I have two kids in gifted. Both went to Buchanan, one through Glasgow and now going to Baton Rouge High (not gifted but magnet and has AP classes) Tried private here and they could not accommodate high gifted ie greater than 99% IQ. Magnet schools are good but also can not handle high gifted in elementary/middle school.