Former junior Cory Driver went into the school year with a LOL Surprise Doll Backpack and a determination to drop out. After months of back-and-forth with his principal and counselor, Driver emailed his administrators and teachers a minion meme reading, “I’m dropping out and getting my GED.” 

Of the estimated 50.6 million students enrolled in K-12 public schools, about 3.2 million stand out from the pack. These kids are given a special name simply for scoring high on intelligence tests —...