As the mother of two gifted students and a teacher with more than twenty-five years of experience, I do not want to see the proposals enacted.  Both proposals have the potential to significantly weaken the education of the gifted.  Giving local school boards sole jurisdiction over the Local Plan is not the best course of action because most members of most school boards have no training in educating gifted students therefore they will not have the experience nor the expertise to adequately critique the plan and offer constructive suggestions.  In addition to these concerns, enacting the second proposal which will take away the language that funds gifted education will enable local school boards to shift funds from gifted students to any other group that they feel needs the money.  Already No Child Left Behind and making AYP, dictate too much of how funds are allocated and what curriculum is taught.  In our efforts to meet the dictates of the government, we are leaving behind another group of students.  Without funding, programs for the gifted could be eradicated.  We must oppose these proposals.