ABSTRACT
The one-room country schoolhouse provided a unique specialized setting in early public schools in rural areas across America. Specialized schools have an important role in developing talent among high-ability students and may occur in a range of settings, from public to private, military to religious and small to large. Educators in the schools must recognize that providing rigorous experiences is not just characterized as increased workload for advanced students, but that differentiated experiences need to be provided through sophisticated learning opportunities with teachers and mentors who know the content deeply and well. The importance of effective leadership in accomplishing schoolwide and programmatic goals with considerations for planning, funding, and operations of specialized schools is a critical component, and the use of regular evaluation and assessment practices and data should be tended to regularly.
