High Achieving Students Excel in Demanding Academic Programs

     Many gifted students excel in demanding academic programs.  They stay focused, have good work habits, and are good classroom students. These same students may not exhibit positive traits in programs that are not challenging or where they have already mastered the material.

     Since academic success depends on the quality of the school program, parents and educators evaluate instructional programs in the context of a student's actual achievement and abilities.

     School averages on standardized tests provide some information about the academic levels and expectations in the classroom. For example, if their children's standardized test results are significantly higher than class averages, parents investigate and evaluate the classroom program with respect to their own children.  Some teachers utilize programs that allow children to proceed at their own pace, other teachers group children based on achievement or ability levels, and others may have one lesson plan that all children must master regardless of abilities or prior knowledge.

     Low classroom averages do not tell the whole story, but they do warrant investigation. Chances are that if a great majority of the students are testing well, the classroom program is directed at a higher level than lower test scoring classrooms. From an advocate's point of view, class averages do not indicate the level of knowledge or appropriateness of classroom learning for a gifted child.  Many gifted children are more than one grade level ahead of their peers.

     High achieving and gifted students excel when they are challenged by demanding and rigorous academic programs. Standardized achievement tests are only one type of assessment, and results on these type of tests do not necessarily indicate whether a particular program is meeting the needs of a gifted student.