Barbara Martinez of The Wall Street Journal today addresses the growth in the number of children testing as gifted: Parents Fret as Kids Seek ‘Gifted’ Status
Martinez writes that the number of incoming kindergarteners taking the OLSAT and Bracken to get into NYC G & T programs increased by 13%, as did the number of children who scored in the 90th percentile or above. (28% of kids scored in the top 10%–that’s Manhattan math.)
I said:
“The amount of work and uncertainty to get into kindergarten has escalated dramatically in the last two years,” said Emily Glickman, president of Abacus Guide Educational Consulting, which guides parents through private school admissions.
Students who don’t get into a private school, charter school or a gifted program can’t necessarily rely on a spot in the top neighborhood schools, either. Population growth has led to waiting lists at some of the most popular schools—even for children who live in the immediate area.
“I used to say if private school doesn’t work out, you can go to your neighborhood school,” Ms. Glickman said. “Not any more.”
The increase in children scoring in the gifted category in public schools matches a similar increase in kids taking private school tests, according to Ms. Glickman.
She said it’s a clear sign of the “test-prep effect.”
New York Magazine‘s Daily Intel also covered Martinez’s story: Even Raising a Child Genius Might Not Get Your Kindergartner Into a Good School