The sad truth is: ODP as previously constituted and newly envisioned, is a seriously flawed system for talent recognition and development. We can list a multitude of reasons -- politics, poor evaluation system, inconsistent quality of coaching, lack of clearly defined mission and standards, cost vs. benefit, etc. This thread is already four takes long.
That said, ODP can be a positive experience, when planets align. The fundamental idea is good. But in our state, anyway, the execution and follow-through don't measure up.
As parents, it's up to us to INSIST on change, and not take no for an answer. It's easy to get discouraged. When I approached a state ODP higher-up with a critical retrospective of my child's experience, the first thing he said was, "sour grapes." When I took the time to convince him otherwise, I still didn't get solid answers.
All I can say is, maybe it will change. But the key isn't to expand and bloat a non-working system. Rather, it's to envision and enact a new system that values QUALITY, CONSISTENCY and TRANSPARENCY over sheer numbers. Deliever those three key elements, and the numbers will take care of themselves.
