The kids at the top who are falling through need activist parents to get them on track, and to be lucky enough to find a school system that works with them. Finbar did not have that in NYC. Gifted, but not in the way they tested for. Here, in Iowa, with my prodding, they got him an engineering mentor, and his IEP actually covers where his intelligence doesn't get measured well on normal scales and takes that into account.

As you know, you can't pin it all on the system without including the parents in it. My ability to volunteer (and make my face known) on top of knowing WHAT to advocate for has made the educational experience for my gifted son so wonderful. Of course, the support of the people who are GIVING him that education makes it possible, but if I didn't push, they wouldn't understand him as well, or know what is up.