tonight on "nightline," survival of the littlest. meet the parents who believe what happens to these toddlers in the next 45 minutes is worth shelling out thousands of dollars and spending months cramming. why? so they can get into kindergarten. that's right. kindergarten. and pricey prep. a multimillion dollar industry, designed to get a lucky few into the best public schools in america. but does it work and is it fair? plus, in or out? did these tykes make the cut? we take you inside the hyper-competitive world of gets into the school of their parents

dreams. and the pressure is on. >> announcer: from the global resources of abc news, with terry moran, cynthia mcfadden and bill weir in new york city, this is a special edition of "nightline," "kindergarten confidential: testing toddlers." >> good evening. we begin with breaking news from columbia, south america, where president obama arrived tonight to attend the summit of the americas, amid reports that a group of secret service agents has been sent back to the u.s., facing allegations of serious misconduct. abc's rena nine unanimous is with the president. what can you tell us? >> that's right, cynthia, good evening. we know president obama's secret elite force tasked with guarding him, members of that force has been sent home today for allegations of misconduct, involving prostitution. the reports first came out from the associated press, who said they received an anonymous tip

that as many as a dozen agents may have been involved. while prosecution may becolumbi service says it is not something they turn a blind eye to and are looking to see exactly what happened. meanwhile, this could be the single most embarrassing moment for the secret service, if these numbers, are, in fact, true. >> our thanks to you. embarrassing and sad. "good morning america" will have much more on this developing story in the morning. and we turn now to the question of toddlers and tests. how far would you go to get your child into one of the best public schools in the country? would you spend thousands of dollars, give up your week ends? well, tonight, we show you three families that did just that, desperate to get their 4-year-olds into a kindergarten for gifted kids, putting a lucky few toddlers on such a favored track has been hotly debated over the years. but now, it's reached a whole new level. it may look like fun and

games -- >> very proud of you. >> reporter: but all over america, parents are spending thousands of dollars on tutors to help their 4-year-old kids cram -- >> one, two, three, four. >> reporter: for the test of their lives. to get into kindergarten. that's right. kindergarten. >> show me what color is red. >> what do you think? >> crayons are -- >> i don't know. >> reporter: but it's not just a test. it's the hopes and dreams of their parents, riding on some very little shoulders. >> a lot of work to do, though. we have a lot of work to do, it looks like. >> reporter: three families allowed "nightline" to follow their journey over the course of more than a year. all the ups -- >> there you go, good job. >> and downs. >> i just get so -- frustrated. >> reporter: of getting into a public school for the gifted and talented. so, even though it's happening all over the country, with so many kids and less than 300

slots at the most desirable schools, new york city is the biggest rat race of them all. no one knows that better than the parents. meet nova hall. mom to 4-year-old savannah and 7-year-old hayden. this saturday morning, she's trying to get savannah to concentrate. >> everyone said, she lacks the focus. >> reporter: she's 4. >> yeah, but -- >> reporter: it's a little tricky as a parent, i would think, because, on the one hand, you have a very specific goal in mind. but on the other hand, you know she's just a little bitty girl. >> yeah. yeah. >> reporter: as is 4-year-old elaina. >> the hopes for elaina are that she gets every opportunity available. >> reporter: her father is lee berman. >> she's a brilliant child. >> reporter: i mean, all of us think our kids are exceptional. why do you think she's so bright? >> her ability to reason at an

early age. the ability to communicate at an early age. >> reporter: but that is not enough. it's all about the test. last year, over 12,000 children took the olsat in new york. 4,000 of them scored in the 90th percentile. 1,000 children scored a 99. but even that doesn't guarantee a seat. remember, there are less than 300 top spots. >> how well they do on this will determine, basically, the rest of their educational career. >> reporter: no pressure there. but look at what they're vying for. it's a kind of dream school called nest plus m. a public school here on manhattan's lower east side. >> you have 30 addition problems. >> reporter: singapore math in the morning. >> on your mark, get set g-- go >> reporter: chinese in the afternoon. once you're in, you're in. all tuition, free.

the school boelss 100% graduation rate. but the only way to get in is through tacking a test, the olsat. little wonder, perhaps, a multimillion dollar test prep industry has developed around it. >> if you buy all the work books, it costs you $600. >> friendly competition. they also -- actually, the books are good, too. >> reporter: enter the founder of bright kids nyc. a tutoring company that gets kids ready for the olsat, for a price. how much do you charge? >> private tutoring, $160 and up. >> reporter: an hour? pause on that. $160 an hour. >> that's correct. >> reporter: for a 4-year-old. >> that's correct. >> reporter: to get into kindergarten. >> that's correct. >> reporter: both savannah and elaina go to bright kids. where bige is also her own client. her 4-year-old son, finn, is also preparing to take the test. >> you like doing work with your

teacher? >> no. >> reporter: the kids seem less enthusiastic than the parents. >> initially, she would not want to come here. it was fighting and screaming and kicking and after a couple of sessions with the same tutor, it was, she's looking forward to it, she can't wait. >> reporter: butter worried that it might be bad for her to get prepped? >> it was getting her accustomed to sit with a stranger for 45 minutes to an hour. all the weight that's given to that 45-minute window could determine whether or not they are given exceptional learning opportunities for literally the rest of their lives. >> reporter: whoa. that's a lot of pressure. >> it certainly is. and it's unfortunate that the department of education is putting that type of pressure on a 4-year-old. >> they are all playing in the yard. >> reporter: the head of the new york city school system, chancellor dennis walcott, says the system works. doesn't it bother you to see parents spending $4,000 to send

their 4-year-old to a test prep center? >> it would bother me if it was something we were forcing onto that parent. if that parent has the ability to do it. where it bothers me or for those parents who don't have the ability to afford that. >> reporter: which is a lot of folks in the minority community. >> most folks. >> reporter: if you take the prep course, you have a better chance. >> but the reality is, we all prepare in different ways for those experiences will be, whether it's in a job or in school. >> reporter: at 4? >> even at 4. even at 4. >> reporter: when we come back, the test day looms. and pressure takes its toll. >> it's extremely unfair to her. sorry. of the jeep grand cheroke has a best-in-class driving range of more than 550 miles per tank. so you can catch morning tee time in monterey and the afternoon meeting in los angeles all without running out of gas. just make sure you don't run out of gas.

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testing toddlers," continues with cynthia mcfadden. is it fair that some families can spend thousands of dollars on tutors so that their kids have a better shot at getting into a special public school kindergarten? is it too much pressure for the kids? well, yourse're about to see ju how stressful it can get. for nova and savannah, lee and elaina and bige and finn, for the upcoming test to get into gifted kindergarten isn't just child's play. these families are spending thousands of dollars at bright kids nyc. one of many such companies in what is now a booming industry. >> what is that called? >> acorn. >> reporter: the tutoring begins with an assessment in mock test conditions to see where the child stands. a base line. >> which one does not belong? yeah, very good. hi, savannah. nice to meet you today. >> reporter: the results of savannah's first assessment just landed in nova's inbox.

>> oh, no. wow. might be worse than i thought. going to be a long haul, but at least, you know, she can't get mad at us ten years from now, say, why didn't you give me the chance? >> reporter: savannah has a long way to go. >> did you have trouble listening? >> reporter: with scores of 75, 53 and 26, she has to raise each number to a 99 to be a contender. >> what helps us focus on what someone is saying? we what? >> reporter: even the pro's kid, finn, is having trouble concentrating. >> try one more? >> no. >> reporter: over the next six months, the kids, their tutors and their parents will get down to business. >> can you mark the toy that's different? good for you. i've seen her, probably 25 times, so, she's had a lot of practice. >> let's go to the car.

>> reporter: as the christmas holidays close in, everybody seems to feel elaina is ready for the test in january. >> this is the home stretch. and then we'll be done. we don't have to wake up so early on saturdays and sundays. >> reporter: as for savannah, month by month, sees have seemed to be getting better. >> she's great. she's focused the whole time, she knew all the answers. i had no issues. and i'm not even sure there's anything i could tell you to work on at this point. i was like -- okay. excellent. it's working. >> reporter: even finn is able to concentrate better. >> he's doing amazing. i mean, you saw in the previous sessions that he really didn't want to sit still. and now he's really excited to do it. >> what's this one? >> wow! what happened to you? drilling you in your sleep? >> reporter: but as the january test date approaches -- >> point and show me the 15. >> reporter: we get a surprising e-mail. >> which one do you think it is?

>> i don't know. >> reporter: savannah bombs her final prep test and nova has decided she will not take the test at all. >> i guess i was just so frustrated. and i guess there was just part of me that thought, the reality is that she can't perform on this test, then, i guess that means that when she goes -- if she got into one of those selective schools, then she -- would it be like that all the time? >> reporter: i was certain you were going to go through with it. >> i was, too. i was too. but she did kind of a mock test at the very beginning of the prep course and then she did a mock test towards the end. and there was virtually no change. and i thought, how is that possible, that there's virtually no change, when i know that she's been learning things?

then i kind of thought, she might be doing on it on purpose because she just isn't interested. so, then, you know, the guilt kicks in and you think -- i can't make her do this. >> reporter: just a mother's intuition. but were you afraid she would take the test and too poorly on it and that somehow that would stain her -- >> yes, yes. yes. what if at some point down the road, she learns that she took the test and how she did on it? i didn't want that to be in the back of her head. >> wants to remind you to do what today? to pay attention? >> yes. >> and to answer all the questions -- >> what is this? >> come on, let's go on. >> reporter: with savannah out on this cold january morning, it's finally test day. we're there as elaina goes in. >> go ahead. i'm nervous now. >> reporter: finn is on his way, too. >> i'm so proud of you for all the hard work you did, okay? now go do it, okay? >> reporter: and now comes the four-month wait for results.

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so, why are there so few spots at excellent public schools when there are so many deserving kids? and does the test even accurately measure whether a child a truly gifted? we asked. >> reporter: it's late april. the test results are back. did 4-year-old elaina get in? and what about finn? will they get a seat at one of new york's coveted gifted and talented programs? bige, who owns a test prep company and whose older son is already in a gifted program, tells us, since finn is a sibling, he only needs a 90 to get into his brother's school.

he gets an 89, missing by one painful point. >> i guess it was a frustration that it was so close, you know. what we told him is that he did great on the test but there's just not enough spaces. so we're going to maybe have to try again this year. >> reporter: and elaina? also shy by one point. >> she scored a 98 percentile, which is fantastic, but one point short of being eligible for the citywide schools like nest or anderson. >> reporter: so how much money du actually end up spending on all of this? >> i didn't add it up. i didn't want to. it was a considerable amount. >> reporter: how much do you think, kind of? $3,000? >> oh, i'm sure more than that. >> reporter: 4,000? >> we spent thousands of dollars. and what about the parents that couldn't afford that? can't afford that. we paid by credit card. we're paying that off and we'll be paying that off, unfortunately. >> reporter: elaina did get a spot in a neighborhood gifted

program but it's not what her father hoped for. >> the sky is clear blue. >> reporter: as for little savannah, whose mother chose to not have her take the test? after six months of prepping, savannah is in a neighborhood kindergarten. and she's already reading. so we wondered, is the test even the right measure? some research suggests that 73% of the kids that ace the test at 4 no longer test at gifted level by high school. are you confident that what is being tested is actually whether or not these kids are gifted and talented? >> i am, very much so. we've done a lot of research around this. i do believe the test measures gis gifted and talented. >> reporter: because a lot of people would say, what you are really testing is the ability of a 4-year-old to sit still long enough and take this test. >> take a look at the citywide schools. they have tremendous tests because the test does measure

gifted and talented. >> reporter: anybody would benefit from being in a school like this one. and to just pick the cream off who might survive very well any place, in some ways, is mixed up. >> but you're giving parents choos choice. that's the beauty. we're not forcing the parents to come to this school. >> reporter: forcing them? they can't get in. >> well, that's fine. i'd rather have a place that has high demand than have a place that has low demand. if you have low command, that's telling me something about that school. >> reporter: is all the money, the time, the effort on the test worth it? >> i hate to say this, but yeah. >> we stayed up all night. >> i think that everything we did was what we needed to do to really feel that we were doing the right thing by the kids. >> reporter: back at the bright kids offices, they're already filled up for the fall. in just a matter of weeks, a whole new group of 4-year-olds will walk through those doors with their parents' hopes on their shoulders.