Given the right environment, a gifted child can often be supported in a public school.

Most public schools will offer "pull-out" opportunities for your child. He or she will meet individually or in small groups with an instructor who tailors the subject lesson to your child's ability. Other public schools may combine distance learning opportunities in the curriculum, providing satellite TV or internet courses in advanced subjects. As Dr. Karen Rogers discusses in the previous section, Developing an Educational Plan/Curriculum, there are many, many options available to accelerate, enrich, and enhance the education of a gifted child in a public education. However, they may not be available to or implemented for your child unless you are proactive in lobbying for such a plan. If your public school system offers gifted-education opportunities, make sure you maintain communication with your child's instructors and with your child to see that the program remains challenging.

Networking with parents who have gifted children can help you make more of an impact on your own child's education. Dr. Linda Silverman, renowned in the field of gifted psychology, offers this advice to parents of gifted children in her article "How to be a 'Pushy Parent'"

"In as polite and cooperative a manner as possible, parents need to continue to inform the schools of the needs of their children and to monitor to make sure those needs are being met. They need to get together with other parents so that they don't feel as vulnerable. Strong parent advocacy groups can often accomplish more than a single family."

Public schools tend to offer 3 skill levels per academic subject. This may give a gifted child a perceived advantage over his or her classmates, but occasionally a gifted child in a regular classroom loses motivation and can withdraw or play down his or her abilities in order to fit in.

Gifted education in every school district is different. Look into the opportunities your neighborhood schools offer before you look anywhere else and, if at all possible, offer volunteer services to your local public school.