A formal IEP for more talented students would likely not get the support of the commonwealth. Although individualized attention is needed for advanced students, some of the same issues would exist that currently face the special education community, such as when parents disagree with the district's assessment. Because there would be no oversight beyond the district, appeals would be difficult.
Instead teachers should be trained and instructed in ways to teach more advanced students, and to keep them involved. One way would be to specifically measure teacher performance for all students, including demonstrating how they are dealing with students that are either above or below the norm. Additionally, they could be encouraged to allow independent study for advanced students, including working faster than the rest of the class, and researching advanced topics of interest on their own. Another thought would be to have special classes at each school one day per week through the use of a roving tutor that would help the advanced students continue beyond their grade level. Finally, we could tap parent volunteers who may have expertise in a particular subject to act as mentors for groups of more advanced students.
