Regarding the proposed revisions to the Regulations Governing the Educational Services for Gifted Students (8VAC20-40), I appreciate the efforts to clarify the screening, referral, identification, and placement components as well as the addition of parental rights. As a parent of a child who is gifted and LD, I especially appreciate the addition of the language in 8VAC20-40-40 :D:1 that requires identification be based on multiple criteria and designed to seek out students for whom accurate identification may be affected. 

 

However, I believe that the quality of gifted education programs throughout the state -- no matter who is identified --will suffer if the revision of 8VAC20-40-60 A is adopted as is. The proposed end the required submittal of gifted education plans for state approval every 5 years and an end to peer review of plans seems unwise.  A 5 year plan approved by the state and subject to a peer review should continue to be required and such a requirement should be built into the regulations. Other changes in the proposed regulations regarding the plan are welcome, i.e., that the plan should be accessible to the public through the school divisions website.