I urge our officials to support Gifted Education in Virginia to the fullest extent possible, and then some.  Particularly in this period of the mediocritization of our public education, enforced by the No Child Left Behind (i.e., the No Child Pushed Ahead) policies and the draconian standardized tests that force our best teachers to limit their creativity and their teaching strategies, we desperately need programs that will allow children to grow, flourish, expand, and challenge themselves.  I have been SO impressed by our Virginia teachers at all levels, and I urge our officials to support all their efforts, particularly by making Gifted Education rich, accessible, and transparent in its funding.