Are private schools better than public schools for gifted children?
Some private schools are better and some are worse. Be wary of private schools that emphasize “structure,” “discipline,” or “values” and are not aware of the emotional or intellectual needs of gifted children. The more selective private schools will have many more gifted children than public schools so the chances of more advanced academics and a better peer group increases. However, you may have more leverage in a public school to design an individualized education plan. According to a recent study, 70% of public schools had services for gifted students while only 24% of private schools offered gifted services. Although there are many private schools for gifted students in other states, Tennessee lacks such a school. There have been several attempts to start gifted schools in the Nashville area, but money problems caused them to close their doors.
