The proposed regulation changes would seem to do away with two provisions that I feel are necessary for the education of our gifted students.

Here are two policies that need to stay:

(1) Each local school division shall submit to the Department of Education for approval a plan, developed on a five-year basis, for the education of gifted students to ensure that the regulations are being followed.

*** Submitting plans to the state ensures that there aren't huge discrepancies in the services our children are receiving, and also ensures that gifted education policy does not fall victim to local politics.

(2) State funds administered by the Department of Education 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.

*** Obviously, if it is not mandated that gifted funds are only for use in activities to support gifted education, then those funds will be used in other ways.  Every department of every school system would like more funds,  and I fear that many will see the absence of this provision as a free license to spend gifted education funds to take up the slack elsewhere.

Thank you,

A Concerned Parent and Educator