Some students demonstrate levels of intellectual aptitude that make it difficult for them to find a challenge in normal stream curriculum. Traditionally, it was recommended that these students be pushed ahead to a grade, where they could find more challenging material. However, pushing students ahead to higher grades can come with negative social consequences. For gifted students who are uncomfortable with the social pressures associated with skipping a grade, schools for gifted students might be a good choice. There are schools for gifted students in every state. Some prominent examples include Logan School in Colorado, Quest Academy in Illinois and Realms of Inquiry in Utah.
Some students have special talents and interests that require differentiated instruction. Students with special skills in music, dance or science might fall into the category of talented students. For these students, there are a numerous private and charter schools that offer concentrated, differentiated curriculum focusing intensely on one key subject. Some examples include the Missouri Academy of Mathematics, Science and Computing, which offers a concentrated program in the sciences, and the National Academy of Arts, Science and Engineering, which offers concentrated programs in arts and sciences.
Students with learning disabilities might find it difficult to keep up with normal stream instruction. For these students, there are many private and charter schools offering age-appropriate, differentiated instruction. Such schools include the Spectrum Academy in Utah for autistic and gifted, the DPS Charter School in Colorado for special needs and the Rocky Mountain Deaf School in Colorado for the hearing impaired.
There are schools that have been designed specifically to help kids with behavior problems. Many parents of children with behavior problems send their kids to schools with policies of zero tolerance for deviant behavior. These schools combine strict discipline with rigorous academics in order to correct behavioral problems in troubled youth. One prominent example of a disciplinary school is the John B. Stetson Middle School, which has recently adopted a "Success" Disciplinary Academy.
For students requiring highly individualized attention, boarding schools can be an excellent academic option. There are boarding schools for gifted students, talented students, disabled students and students with behavioral problems. Many of the most famous boarding schools are military academies and performing arts schools, but the world of boarding schools is hardly limited to these institutions. Prominent examples include the Oakley School, a college prep school in Utah; Talisman Academy, a school for autistic children in North Carolina; and the St. John's Military School, a military school in Kansas.