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Another option, albeit a very pricey one, is on-line private High Schools associated with major universities.
I was in Boston last weekend and while at the airport leaving town I was in the TSA line behind a family of three; Mom, Dad, and a late teens son. Dad was wearing a weathered Stanford ball hat and the son was wearing a Stanford fleece. I asked the son if they were visiting potential graduate schools in Boston (assuming he was currently attending Stanford) and he replied "No, they were in town for a High School event."
So I checked the internet for high school events in Boston that weekend involving Stanford University and learned that Stanford has an on-line high school program which had a recruitment event in Boston only a couple days earlier.
The cost of this on-line high school is $23K per year!!
From the information I found on-line it appears classes are taught via live video seminars.
Classes can run until 10pm West Coast time (0100 hours for those of us in the Eastern Time Zone).
And there is obviously zero social interaction with classmates or others - except for special face-to-face classes held a few times each year and which may have additional fees.
Too many negatives for me (plus our kids are already in their mid to late 30's and out of Grad School) but the option is out there. Other major (and minor) universities have similar programs.
At first I thought it was Magnet Schools but apparently, those are lotteries instead of "Invites" based on academic grades.
Then there is the Advanced Placement (AP) Programs but not sure if they offer this for Freshmen or if it starts on Junior (Grade 11).
There is also an International Baccalaureate (IB) Program but reading through, it gave me an impression it is more of a cultural learning and appreciation program rather than academic.
I am looking for something straight Academic that invites qualified kids to the Program like the Gifted Programs in Elementary and Middle Schools.
My eldest is completing his Middle School this current school year and finding out High School is a different animal altogether. It didn't help I have no prior experience of HS in America.
TIA.
Depends on the magnet/public academy. The public academy/magnet I teach in has academic based admissions, no lottery. But it is thematic, with a specific STEM focus rather. Most high schools offer AP or honors level classes starting in freshman year. That may be what you are looking for.
GMP - Gifted Math Program
STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
My son is out-of-state and I am getting him to move with me for High School next school year. Where I live renting currently is extreme - the top Magnet High School is in a district surrounded by below average public High Schools.
But the Magnet High School is lottery as such I could not buy a property there yet, so I am renting.
However, I have found a nice area t(let's call it District B) that, even though has no Magnet HS, has a nice High School zoned to it and that is where I am currently building my house. Up to that point I know nothing other than Magnet.
Then as the First Quarter grading period is done, I asked my son to mail his grades. Then he mentioned he got Invited by his district High School to the IB Program. I only learned of IB that time.
So back to my State (remember he and me live in 2 different States), I inquired from that District B school department if they have an IB Program and was saddened there is no IB program in all their High School district. They did say they have an AP Program into the High School my house construction is zoned to.
So now I am questioning my decision of building the house in District B. They do not have a Magnet High School, which I knew beforehand, but then, they also do not have an IP Program, which I did not know beforehand. Double whammy!!
I wonder if I should keep on renting to the area where I am now (let's call it District A), which is zoned to the Magnet High School but also have IB Programs in the other below-average High Schools. Then just rent out or even sell the house in the District B before I could live there, simply because they have no IB Program.
Residency is a must for these schools that is why if my son wins the lottery to the Magnet High School, I shall keep on renting in District A. I wonder though if that does not happen, if it is worth to put my son in a below-average High School that has an IB Program or just go with District B that has the AP Program.
Also, are IB Program invite letters transferrable to any High School out of state?
Most programs do not offer invitations but rather accept applications.
Second, you need to speak to someone at the magnet school right away. Many, like mine, require students to have attended at least one full year in the districts middle schools or sending districts before applying. For example at my school, if a student moves to one of our sending districts even half way through 8th grade they would not be qualified to apply to our school. Additionally, the application process is usually started by the fall of 8th grade. For example interested applicants MUST attend one of our open houses in October or November to even get an application code. Then they fill out the application, which is due in the middle of December, and then finally sit for the exam in January. Before you make any decisions about where to live make sure your child will be eligible to even apply, and hasn't yet missed deadlines which would disqualify him.
OP, I would say to quit worrying about the "invitation". Although counseling in high schools could be better as many have stated here, if your son is bright, he will get steered towards the highest level classes he can handle.
I think the OP wants to avoid a district that has a lottery, where the OP's son might be academically qualified, but lose out if he gets a bad lottery number. I think the OP also may want a district that chooses solely based on academics, and not based on "diversity requirements" or other non-academic factors.
I think the OP wants to avoid a district that has a lottery, where the OP's son might be academically qualified, but lose out if he gets a bad lottery number. I think the OP also may want a district that chooses solely based on academics, and not based on "diversity requirements" or other non-academic factors.
In public schools including charters, if more students apply for a program than there are spaces, most schools do a lottery. Sometimes, with AP courses, the school will offer an additional section. I've never heard of high schools "inviting" kids to be in IB programs. I have heard of teachers recommending a student for AP courses, but not guaranteeing them a spot.
In public schools including charters, if more students apply for a program than there are spaces, most schools do a lottery. Sometimes, with AP courses, the school will offer an additional section. I've never heard of high schools "inviting" kids to be in IB programs. I have heard of teachers recommending a student for AP courses, but not guaranteeing them a spot.
That's probably true. Unless a school has absolute requirements for honors and AP classes, such as a certain GPA, and is willing to create as many sections as needed to accommodate everybody, there is likely either subjectivity involved, or a hidden lottery that is not talked about but happens behind the scenes, or some other tie-breaker that is so arbitrary that it may as well be a random lottery.
That's probably true. Unless a school has absolute requirements for honors and AP classes, such as a certain GPA, and is willing to create as many sections as needed to accommodate everybody, there is likely either subjectivity involved, or a hidden lottery that is not talked about but happens behind the scenes, or some other tie-breaker that is so arbitrary that it may as well be a random lottery.
The CollegeBoard® discourages any type of gatekeeping for admission to AP classes and has audited school systems it suspects of doing so.
My worst AP year was when I had two sections of Psych with 44 kids in one class and 47 in the other. There should have been 3 or even 4 sections but due to how our schedule was built it couldn't be done.
That's probably true. Unless a school has absolute requirements for honors and AP classes, such as a certain GPA, and is willing to create as many sections as needed to accommodate everybody, there is likely either subjectivity involved, or a hidden lottery that is not talked about but happens behind the scenes, or some other tie-breaker that is so arbitrary that it may as well be a random lottery.
Note for IB the lottery is to get into one of the schools that offers IB unless you already reside in said school's attendance area. I don't know what you have to do to get into IB but I do know they have some limits. I'll try to find something.
Having taught Honors, Gifted, AP and IB. I will tell you that IB is the most rigorous program because a student must in addition to completing his 6 IB subject area exams, they must write a 4000 word thesis paper and a 1500 word essay answering a Philosophy prompt. They must also complete a program that highlights involvement in clubs, sports and service activities.
Having taught Honors, Gifted, AP and IB. I will tell you that IB is the most rigorous program because a student must in addition to completing his 6 IB subject area exams, they must write a 4000 word thesis paper and a 1500 word essay answering a Philosophy prompt. They must also complete a program that highlights involvement in clubs, sports and service activities.
I think part of the problem with understanding is that people don't realize that IB is a diploma program while AP is not. The goals of each are different and in some cases mutually exclusive.
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