Seattle Public Schools is replacing its program for gifted students with a more “inclusive” and “equitable” program, as the state continues a trend of eliminating honors classes in the name of diversity.
SPS has begun phasing out high-ability cohort (HCC) schools and advanced learner classrooms in the 2021-22 school year, claiming the program does not address racial inequities.
A replacement model, called the Highly Capable Neighborhood School Model, will be available to all schools by the 2024-25 school year, SPS said. Instead of having separate classrooms or schools for gifted students, all students are brought together in the same classroom and teachers create individual learning plans for each student.
The ward announced The changes will “address historical inequalities” and include “three tiers of services for students that are tailored to their individual needs, delivered in a way that respects their culture and background.”
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Seattle Public Schools plans to end its High Ability Cohort program for gifted students due to diversity and equity concerns. (St. Petersburg)
Parents and teachers critical of the program said: seattle times They worry that talented students will be ignored in the new model. They also expressed concern that creating individual lesson plans for as many as 20 or 30 students would place an additional burden on teachers.
But proponents of the changes argue that the new model addresses loopholes that have left some students behind, including families who missed the program for Saturday testing due to transportation issues.
Fox News previously reported The district’s gifted education program was one of the least diverse in the country.
“For the 2022-23 academic year, 52% of SPS honors students were white, 16% were Asian, and 3.4% were Black,” Se said.Attle Times beAnalysis of school data.
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Critics of changes to Seattle Public Schools’ gifted education program say it will harm both students and teachers. ((Photo by John Moore/Getty Images))
The new program will better serve students who have been “historically excluded” from school opportunities, SPS argued.
“This program is not being eliminated, it is being improved. It will be more inclusive, equitable, and culturally sensitive. In particular, students who have been historically excluded will be able to They will now have the opportunity to receive the same services and access to the support and assistance they need to thrive,” the district said in a statement on its website.
Seattle is not the only city to change or eliminate programs for gifted students due to diversity concerns. School districts in Virginia, Rhode Island, New York and California have made national headlines in recent years for eliminating honors classes and awards in the name of racial equity.
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