Simply put, when Principal Ders/ comments, "Its hard to promote honors sections to instructors who don't believe in the honors program," there's nothing else to be said. Its a done deal; there probably will not be a 9th grade honors program unless a group of community members can rally together quickly in mass to create a powerful constituency with enough bite to cause a business as usual management style to shift its position.

As a former principal, gifted education coordinator, and currently, an education consultant helping parents with advocacy - related issues, I have seen similar conflicts as the West Seattle High honors program with the teacher's desires trumping a small group of parents; particularly parents whose kids are in the gifted/ honors/ highly capable program.

In a school system which overplays the "closing the gap" theme, gifted students often get the short end of the stick.

Nevertheless, educational research can make a case in favor of gifted education programs for these special needs students for they have one of the highest drop out rates of any student group, alarmingly high suicide rates at the high school level, and create a significant number of disciplinary actions; if bored and not engaged in learning, the highly capable students often create their own curriculum and cause havoc in the classroom. Ask anyone who has taught in the classroom recently, it's the student with ADHD and an IQ over 120 who is a nightmare to reign in.

As for maintaining heterogeneous groups in the school setting, where one size fits all in the classroom, there are numerous examples of skill-based grouping in high schools which contradict the need for "classes are supposed to be comprised of students of all levels of learning". For example: All foreign language classes are separated by skill levels - 1, 2, 3, 4; math classes divided by algebra, geometry, calculus, trig; music classes are founded upon beginning, intermediate, and advanced placement; and all high school sports place students in skill groups with junior varsity and varsity levels throughout all activities. The "one size all" format of instruction required when it address the gifted students and their relationship to the whole student body. This is also found in special education under the need for "inclusion."

Finally, if there is a need for an academic program such as Honors, and the number of students registered is within the regular class size formula, typically 25-30 students, then the program should not cost the school additional funds if state allocated funding is utilized. These students would need to be in a class anyway and the school just needs to reallocate the staff to meet the needs for the students. Only does the program cost additional money when the sections serve significantly less students than the standard class size configuration.

So my suggestion to the parents who are upset and alarmed over feeling "hoodwinked", move on or immediately develop a boisterous constituency of parents who are able to go the whole nine yards in advocacy. The gifted and talented parental base has created numerous opportunities for students in the Puget Sound area but only so by working as a group, one very large vocal group.

Best to you.

Larry Davis

Westwood