I have numerous concerns about the proposed changes to the gifted education regulations, but I will address only three.

8VAC20-40-40 Specific Academic

In reference to the proposed changes to this regulation, please revert back to the previous regulations on gifted education so that the language reads “shall include procedures for identification and services in one or more of the following: English OR history and social sciences, OR mathematics OR science.  As well as for “ School divisions may  identify and serve gifted students in career and technical aptitude or visual OR  performing arts, or both, at their discretion.”

At first glance OR and AND seem to be insignificant words.  However, the implications will be far reaching.  These changes will have an enormous impact financially on the gifted identification process and the delivery of gifted services for a small county like King George.

Specific Academics is the gifted program in King George County.  The gifted advisory committee, superintendent, school board and county stakeholders have worked hard to provide daily rigorous instruction for our identified gifted students in some of the specific academic areas but not all, due to funding constrains.  We continue to strive for gifted services in more areas but funding and resources have been stumbling blocks to reaching these goals.  If the new proposed regulations do replace the word OR with AND, then the county’s gifted program will be severely limited. 

In these times, when money is scarce why would a new regulation mandate additional services that would require larger amounts of additional funding?

8VAC20-40-60 Local Plan

Five year gifted plans have allowed districts to develop with stakeholders long term goals, allowed time to implement this plans and to evaluate the outcomes.  This process has given district gifted programs the opportunity to develop and grow.  The new proposed regulations are for gifted plans to return to annual reviews.  With such a short turn around time on local gifted plans, more time would be spent in writing plans rather than implementing them.

8VAC 20-40-70 Funding

The proposed regulation changes have removed the following statement: “(funds) be used to support only those activities identified in the school plan.”

To restate that the funding be used for gifted education services would not be redundant but reiterate that these funds are for gifted education only.  It would clarify that there is funding for gifted programs and that the money is to be used solely to support district gifted plans.

For the continued growth of gifted students and gifted programs that are already in place, please consider not passing these new proposals into regulations.