Opposition to proposed changes in regulations and funding for gifted education
Opposition to Proposed Changes in Regulations and Funding for Gifted Education
I would like to express my concerns about the proposed changes in legislation regarding Gifted Education Programs in Virginia public schools. I currently have one child in the gifted program, and have taught gifted education for fifteen years. With American public education in the eye of the world, the United States remains behind other worldwide education, and while many are choosing to educate their children by home schooling, or in private schools, it is ill advised to weaken the programs that elevate the quality of education for those students most able to achieve the highest levels of education. I advocate for you to revise the changes proposed to include:
8VAC20-40-70 Language was stricken regarding current five-year local plans (replaced by a mandate for annual plans) and the exclusions of our current peer-review process.
Each local school division shall submit to the Department of Education for approval a plan, developed on a 5-year basis, for the education of gifted students to ensure that the regulations are being followed. The format of a five-year plan allows yearly goals, and fulfillment of these goals is monitored by each locality's advisory committee and reported to the locality's Superintendent and School Board. The five-year plan is a cut above to the annual plan because it allows local gifted programs to take a long-range view of their services, to set goals for improvement, and to build programs that are modified and enhanced through research and development that are concrete, sufficiently considered, and meaningful.
The current peer-review process allows coordinators from different school systems to collaborate. The benefits of this process are two-fold: first, peer-review ensures that all localities are in compliance and allows coordinators not in compliance to identify areas of weakness, and correct them; second, peer-review is a collaboration that creates an avenue for coordinators to share best practices and expand the quality services throughout Virginia. Under the peer-review process as it currently exists, coordinators share their innovative ideas, learn from each other's experiences, and work as a "sounding board" in collaboration with each other. Peer-review is a working process that does not cost a great deal, and provides a valuable service to coordinators and, which ultimately benefits the students served by their programs. We can't afford to lose it.
8VAC20-40-60 Assurance of gifted funding was omitted on the grounds it was redundant because funding is assured in the Appropriations Act.
Tax payers can be assured if it is repeated in the Regulations. If the wording is the same, nothing in the Regulations will contradict the Appropriations Act. Repetitive wording provides clarity to all stakeholders and outweighs any concern over idleness.
State funds administered by the DOE for the education of gifted students shall be used only to support those activities identified in the school division's plan as approved by the Board of Education (BOE).
Supplemental work needs to be done to address high achievement, and raise the bar, to be assured that all students reach their full potential. It is critical that professionally trained educators and experts are involved in policy-making and oversight of programs. Our local school board does not encompass such, and shouldn’t have sole oversight of gifted education. Reliable educational programs do not mature in one year increments. It’s essential that plans for gifted programs are developed to endure, and not be subject to a total annual review, and with possible omission, each year in the budget process as the revision under consideration allows.
It is essential that Gifted Programs continue to be approved by the Department of Education, be long-term (‘developed on a 5-year basis’) and that the funds be designated solely for that purpose in language that will not allow diversion of state funds to other local programs.
Thank you for the opportunity to share my opinions.
