Anecdotal, but my child was just invited into a gifted STEM program in suburban Chicago public schools. She was advised not to tell other students about it, pretending her normal math/science periods were on-campus. I don’t think that will work long-term.

Our district has a bazillion expensive programs for kids on the “left side of the curve” but there is so little funding for gifted kids they are forced to keep it on the down-low. Apparently in the past parents have stormed the school board meetings demanding their kid be admitted, threaten to sue for “unequal treatment”, etc.