I strongly urge our elected and appointed officials to accept and implement the NAACP recommended changes and amendments to the gifted education regulations.  The NAACP recommendations will result in a more equitable gifted and governor’s school program throughout Virginia.  Minority and low-income gifted students will receive needed services so they can reach their fullest potential and make their necessary contribution to Virginia, the United States, and our global community.

In Henrico Public Schools:  African American students are 36% of the student enrollment but only 7% of students receiving gifted education services.  Caucasian students are 48% of the student enrollment, yet 80% of students receiving gifted education services.

-Recommend the gifted education regulations be amended to provide the rules governing the administration of governor’s school programs which are a component of gifted education programs in Virginia.

-Recommend the regulations provide that school divisions may include as part of their gifted plan, permitting geographic representation as part of providing gifted services to prevent the exclusion and penalization of gifted students from under-performing and economically disadvantaged schools from being excluded from gifted programs, pull-out or center-based gifted programs, and governor’s schools.

-Inter-district geographic representation is used presently to provide for the equitable distribution of governor’s school seats among school divisions in the various governor school jurisdictions.  Each locality receives a quota or specified number of seats in the governor’s school programs.

-Recommend intra-district geographic representation be required as a component of an equitable gifted and governor’s school program.