As a parent of children who participated in the gifted program, a public school teacher and a concerned tax paying citizen, I strongly disagree with this proposed amendment.  Programs for students who have special needs or students who speak Enlish as a second language are closely monitored by Federal and State regulations, whereas gifted programs are not.  Gifted students have needs just as important.  The only changes necessary to the gifted program would be those that would stregthen it.  The purpose of school is to have students excell in the classroom and one way to do this is to have gifted funding reinstated and used only for the gifted program.

Thanks for the opportunity to share my opinion.