District 96 Gifted Program, Advanced Curriculum (Countryside, Kildeer: school district, university, costs)

[pkurian]

Hi
I am a new parent in Kildeer Countryside district 96 3rd grade. My child was attending a private school and was doing extremely well academically, I am new to the public school system here. Could anyone please educate me on how the standards tests in IL public schools work , esp in district 96. Is there a gifted program in the school district ? If so how are kids selected for this/ at which grade. What is expected for the screening test ? What comes after if they are selected ? Since he missed the ISAT for 3rd grade (last march when he was not in the school) , Is there a chance for him to take it during the 3rd grade academic year. For this what should I do. Do people usually prepare for these tests or is it purely brain power ?
Would appreciate any input on this topic.
thank you

[chet everett]

...Illinois has no statewide standards for either gifted education or "special needs". Kids with needs outside the norm are completely at the mercy of district (or individual school...) policies. If you have not had a chance to contact the appropriate staff at your school I would urge you to do so ASAP. If your school has any kind of an active PTA/PTO that might be a could way to reach out for some like minded parents...

[wjj]

District 96 is a very highly rated district in the area and Stevenson HS into which it feeds is one of the best in the state and even the country.

I would just go in and talk to the school administration.

I will tell you that competition is fierce with some parents planning at an early age of how to get their kids into AP classes as freshman at Stevenson to get the highest possible GPA. Stevenson did away with class rank awhile ago to combat this, but it still persists. What do they have to take in junior high (Twin Groves in your case?) to accomplish that? In turn, what do they need to take in elementary school to get those classes in junior high? Stevenson is a huge school (over 4000) with exceptional facilities and is one of those places where every year, several students ace the ACT.

So you are right where you should be with an exceptional student. Just beware that there are a lot of exceptional student families drawn to Stevenson and if you go down the "highest academic achievement at all costs path", the competition will be intense and it starts at a very early age.

Both my kids went to Stevenson (and D 96) and it really is a priviledge to go to a high school like that. Many kids do not fully realize that until they get to college and find Stevenson's facilities that they left were better than those at their university.

[pkurian]

thanks !