NYC Gifted Schools to Base Outside Manhattan Burough

In a change of tactic, Manhattan may be looking to place new gifted schools outside of the city limits in 2009. The story comes from the New York Times CityRoom blog.

Asked whether the Brooklyn and Queens programs would definitely open next year, Andrew Jacob, a department spokesman, said in an e-mail message: “That’s our tentative plan, but it’s too early to say that they will definitely open.” He said that would depend on the department’s ability to find a site, and sufficient demand from families whose children qualify.

The department also announced that all elementary school gifted programs would start in kindergarten next year. Last year, some parents were angered to learn that while their children qualified for gifted kindergarten slots, the programs available in their school districts did not start until the first grade.