I am concerned about the changes you are considering regarding gifted education in Virginia. As a parent of a gifted child I would ask that you:

1) Require local school division to develop 5 year gifted plans that require peer review. This enables school divisions to have the opportunity to develop long-term goals, implement changes, and evalust before updating the plan the following year. Without peer review, there is no way for gifted educators to know how they "stack up" against other localities and it doesn't provide the opportunity for constructive criticism and feedback. Requiring localities to submit plans on an annual basis to their local school board is unwise because school board members may not fully understand the educational and socio-emotional needs of gifted students. This would allow the school board which relies on the vote of consituents to make decisions that may require funding for a select few instead of all students. Submitted to the DOE for approval creaes an accountability system for school divisions and give parents and educators the opportunity to guarantee that localities are meeting the standards determined by the DOE. 

2) Reinstate the gifted funding section which states that funding administered by the DOE for the education of gifted students be used only to support those activites identified in the school division's plan for gifted students as approved by the Board of Education.