Elitist. Hypercompetitive. Toxic culture. Social isolation.

These are words that I hear far too often in the debate over whether District 203 should keep PI+ or not. Many feel that PI+ is a breeding ground for over competitive toxic culture and that it should be removed for the good of all students. However, as a former PIPer I am in strong opposition to that argument. Surprise, surprise.

For those who don’t know, PI+ is the district’s gifted program which accepts the top 2-4% of students in the district based off of their scores on a standardized test, which was the CogAT the last time I checked (the one with a whole section on losing your mind trying to figure out how the cut paper unfolds into one with holes). From fourth to eighth grade, these students learn a completely different accelerated core curriculum than their peers, but join them during periods like gym, fine arts, and lunch. As soon as high school starts, these students are thrust back into the melee with all the other students, initiating their quest for a 4.9 GPA (I’m only kind of joking).

From a purely academic standpoint, PI+ is an absolute necessity for District 203. PI+ encourages intellectual curiosity for gifted students who pick things up faster than others. If you want the gifted kids to stay interested in school, you need to stimulate them with more advanced content and that’s what PI+ does. Furthermore, PI+ creates a welcoming environment for intellectual curiosity. It’s a place where reading for fun is encouraged and supported by classroom libraries that take up a whole wall. It’s a place where doing challenging math problems is celebrated instead of labeled “weird.” I know it’s cliche, but PI+ is honestly a family. You spend your developmental years growing up with the same few people that share your drive and love for learning.

One of the biggest misconceptions about PI+ is that it produces antisocial bookworms who are unable to interact with the real world. First of all, I’d like to point out that virtually no 8th graders are really socially aware because all they do is Fortnite dance, make TikToks, and fret about finding a date to the end of the year boat trip. Nonetheless, I can see where PI+’s opponents are coming from. From an outside perspective, PIPers do seem to exclusively congregate with each other during social gatherings such as recess, and they do seem to have an obscure underground culture built entirely on slyly dissing each other. However, this is a byproduct of sharing classes with the same kids for five straight years: they become friends and friends hangout with each other… shocker. I can assure you that PIPers are more than capable of interacting with others outside their bubble. Activities like band and sports naturally integrate the multitalented PIPers into the larger student body, and it’s not like anyone is stopping the two groups from ever intermingling.

Another main argument against PI+ is that it promotes something Naperville is known for: unhealthy levels of competition. Opponents say that the existence of a gifted program puts too much pressure on young students to excel in school and testing. Some even go on to say that the program and the students in it are elitist. The only evidence I can offer to contradict this is my own experience. All of the people I knew in middle and elementary school were ultimately happy with where they were. Whether it was regular class, PI, or PI+, everyone received a quality education that was right for them. Sure, maybe some people wanted to make PI+ and didn’t, but, in the end, all students are free to take whatever classes they want in high school. Making a gifted program in primary school is not a make-or-break event. It certainly has a long lasting influence, but in a district like 203, all paths lead to bright futures.

The last argument against PI+ is that it’s unfair. Some say that PIPers have privileges and resources that other students don’t, such as specialized teachers, different facilities, and a unique curriculum. Although I do see where this argument is coming from, I have to say that the distribution of resources to PI+ is nothing but fair. District 203 is a well-funded district with the resources to provide greater levels of customization to their students. For example, special education exists for students that need it and extra resources are poured into students that are falling behind. I am all for these services because they contribute to the greater effort to give all students an education that is best for them. Keeping PI+ is in line with this same logic. PI+ students need different resources than other students to thrive academically, and if the district can afford to give it to them, why shouldn’t they? It’s not like we had a completely different campus that looked like a soap opera private school. In elementary school they sectioned off a corner of the library for us, and in middle school we had classes in a separate mobile with poor ventilation. The teachers were amazing, but there are amazing teachers across the district, so I don’t see a disparity there.

Anyways, to conclude, I truly believe the existence of PI+ is definitely a net positive for all parties: District 203, parents, and, most of all, the students. Although there are rumors of talks to remove the program, I highly doubt that it will happen anytime soon. But in the future, if PI+ does come on the chopping block, I pray that they don’t make the cut.