by Sarah Zhu
The school board seems poised to dramatically restrict the program for academically accelerated students. In June, near midnight, a majority of the board directed the district administration to restrict the AIM classrooms to those who are unable to succeed in a regular classroom (the actual wording of the resolution is unclear, but this is one interpretation). By filling AIM classrooms with children who are not performing at grade level, the school board will drastically reduce opportunities for children who are academically accelerated, benefiting no one.
AIM is a program that has a long waiting list for each grade. No additional resources are given to an AIM classroom. It has been administered with a less-than-half-time employee who helps identify students for the program and who assists teachers in preparing appropriate lesson plans and dealing with special concerns.
Many of us settled in Davis because of its excellent schools. AIM is just one of the many programs that makes this an excellent school system. Like any program, I am sure it can be improved. But it makes no sense to largely eliminate it for most of the students who would have been eligible for it under the current rules.
the key point is that the district is dramatically restricting aim without an real stated reason