The Lang School
Encyclopedia
The Lang School is an independent not-for-profit K-8 school for gifted children with ADHD, dyslexia and other language-based learning differences, anxiety, sensory processing challenges or, simply, underachievement. It is the only independent elementary school in the United States to serve the needs of "twice exceptional
" (2e) students, and the first on the East Coast
. The only independent elementary school in the country prior to The Lang School was Brideun School
in Lafayette, Colorado
(Brideun no longer operates as a school ).
students. Twice exceptional students are both highly gifted and face certain learning challenges. These students are often unable to access the curriculum in a traditional classroom; they can be bored and misunderstood by teachers, administrators, and peers. Identifying 2e children is difficult because the gifted child's strengths often mask their needs, or their attentional and behavioral challenges might obscure their talents. Many of these children are eligible for special educational services under the IDEA Act
, but they often face difficulties accessing those services because their needs can be difficult to recognize. In some states, giftedness itself is regarded as a difference that requires special services.
was set at $42,000 annually. The first enrollees were mostly boys, ranging in age from 6 to 11.
. teacher who, in the 1970s, taught challenging material in unconventional ways, engaging his students in Socratic debates about Machiavelli’s The Prince
and Plato
’s Republic, texts normally limited to 12th grade advanced placement classes. Although the school where he was working threatened to fire him if he didn’t comply, he persisted. “I made a premeditated, intellectual decision to continue teaching the way I had,” he said at the time. “There’s nothing wrong with the genetic makeup of these students. It’s the educational system that’s declining. We are bearing witness to the triumph of mediocrity.”
Twice exceptional
The term twice exceptional, often abbreviated as 2e, is commonly applied to high-ability children who have learning difficulties. It refers to the fact that these children are exceptional both because of their intellectual gifts and because of their special needs.A 2e child usually refers to a...
" (2e) students, and the first on the East Coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
. The only independent elementary school in the country prior to The Lang School was Brideun School
Brideun School for Exceptional Children
Brideun School for Exceptional Children was a school for twice exceptional children in Lafayette, Colerado. It operated between 2000 and 2006 and received some national attention . It was the first elementary school in United States for 2e students....
in Lafayette, Colorado
Lafayette, Colorado
The City of Lafayette is a Home Rule Municipality located in Boulder County, Colorado, United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the city population was 23,884 on 2005-07-01.- Geography :Lafayette is located at ....
(Brideun no longer operates as a school ).
Students
The Lang School serves the community of twice exceptionalTwice exceptional
The term twice exceptional, often abbreviated as 2e, is commonly applied to high-ability children who have learning difficulties. It refers to the fact that these children are exceptional both because of their intellectual gifts and because of their special needs.A 2e child usually refers to a...
students. Twice exceptional students are both highly gifted and face certain learning challenges. These students are often unable to access the curriculum in a traditional classroom; they can be bored and misunderstood by teachers, administrators, and peers. Identifying 2e children is difficult because the gifted child's strengths often mask their needs, or their attentional and behavioral challenges might obscure their talents. Many of these children are eligible for special educational services under the IDEA Act
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is a United States federal law that governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education, and related services to children with disabilities...
, but they often face difficulties accessing those services because their needs can be difficult to recognize. In some states, giftedness itself is regarded as a difference that requires special services.
History
The Lang School grew out of the founder's frustration to find an appropriate school placement for her son. It officially opened its doors in September 2010. The school expected to have two classes, with a capacity of 16 students, in the first year. As of June 2010, tuitionTuition
Tuition payments, known primarily as tuition in American English and as tuition fees in British English, Canadian English, Australian English, New Zealand English and Indian English, refers to a fee charged for educational instruction during higher education.Tuition payments are charged by...
was set at $42,000 annually. The first enrollees were mostly boys, ranging in age from 6 to 11.
Name
The Lang School is named after Cyril Lang, the founder's tenth grade English teacher. Lang was a Rockville, MarylandRockville, Maryland
Rockville is the county seat of Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It is a major incorporated city in the central part of Montgomery County and forms part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. The 2010 U.S...
. teacher who, in the 1970s, taught challenging material in unconventional ways, engaging his students in Socratic debates about Machiavelli’s The Prince
The Prince
The Prince is a political treatise by the Italian diplomat, historian and political theorist Niccolò Machiavelli. From correspondence a version appears to have been distributed in 1513, using a Latin title, De Principatibus . But the printed version was not published until 1532, five years after...
and Plato
Plato
Plato , was a Classical Greek philosopher, mathematician, student of Socrates, writer of philosophical dialogues, and founder of the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. Along with his mentor, Socrates, and his student, Aristotle, Plato helped to lay the...
’s Republic, texts normally limited to 12th grade advanced placement classes. Although the school where he was working threatened to fire him if he didn’t comply, he persisted. “I made a premeditated, intellectual decision to continue teaching the way I had,” he said at the time. “There’s nothing wrong with the genetic makeup of these students. It’s the educational system that’s declining. We are bearing witness to the triumph of mediocrity.”