At first, us “academically gifted” kids were only separated from the general population for language arts, but later in middle school they expanded the program for math, and the way they implemented that was we skipped 7th grade math entirely and took the normal 8th grade curriculum, “pre-algebra.” So that as a freshman in high school, I would take 10th grade math, etc.
I think I took less time than the average 6th grader to “get it.” I didn’t need 50 practice problems for homework to become proficient in long division, 30 would do. I think a 7th grade math class that included a little less plug and chug practice and more word problems and practical application, ie reinforcing what this math we’re learning is for and how to really use it, would have helped me a lot.
Instead, I was just thrown forward a year and expected to just handle it, and even taking a course called “advanced math topics” which amounted to “algebra 3” rather than taking pre-calculus my senior year of high school, I never caught back up.