Any teachers out there?

[stacie]

In the 60's, our town was sued resulting in segregation of our schools and busing of the kids. It continues to cause problems in our education system today. We moved to a neighborhood to ensure the best grade school experience. For middle school, we applied for magnet schools which focus on advanced studies. My son's grades and testing support this. Kids are accepted to the schools based on a lottery. I never win anything and this is another instance. We are on waiting lists for the three schools (max allowed). Our neighborhood school is frightening. Seriously. Something like 30% of the kids can read at grade level. Rough group of kids as well. So, through some deception we were able to get our son into another neighborhood school. Certainly not my first choice, but it has a reputation for having a good advanced studies program. Two days before the start of school, the principal announced that they would no longer have standard classes. All kids will attend advanced classes. School just started so I don't know how this can possibly work. My son is attending advanced classes with kids who didn't pass last year. Some haven't passed in several years. This school does not score very well but I was ok with my son going because the advanced program does well. Is there some new teaching idea that I don't understand or is this a losing proposition for my son? If he is not taking advanced courses and we are moved up on the waiting list, I'm afraid he will be far behind. It is possible that he could move up enough by January to attend the magnet. Nothing positive of course.
We could, through further deception, move to a school in the suburbs. The classes may be the same as this sounds like it could be an idea from the superintendant. But, the school does better and has kids with a background more like my son's. It's a hike and will be a commitment to help him attend the extracurricular activities.
My son's friends attend the schools they wanted. They tell him that he is going to get beat up at this school. He hasn't said anything to me but has been "sick". My heart is breaking. He deserves a good education in a good environment and I don't feel like I am providing it.
Maybe there is some grand scheme that I don't understand. One teacher told me that the kids will just be put in groups according to their ability to work together. Is it possible to teach advanced classes in this setting? Or is it as I suspect, there really are no advanced classes?