There’s a world of difference in the abilities of elementary school students in the Trotwood-Madison City School District, outside Dayton, Ohio. Some low-performing fifth graders are only capable of reading first- grade picture books with basic words like dog and cat, says Angie Fugate, a district specialist focusing on gifted education. In the same classrooms, the aces read at a sixth-grade level, devouring thick novels that adults also enjoy, including the Harry Potter series.
“It's like we have gone back to the days of the one-room schoolhouse,” Fugate says. “The gap is really huge and yet we are supposed to teach them all the same curriculum. It’s a very difficult thing to do. For some teachers, it’s just overwhelming.”