My experience as the Academic Gifted Coordinator has shown me the importance and value of working closing with others to support students and their families as they pursue excellence in education. It is for that reason that the section of the proposed regulations for gifted marked 8VAC20-40-60 gives me great cause for concern. In this section, the peer review of the local plan for the gifted is removed. For a small county, such as Orange, this eliminates a valuable resource. Although the educators in our county work diligently to provide high quality education for our students, only a very few have the expertise in gifted education. Eliminating the peer review, limits our accessibility to the wealth of knowledge held by other gifted coordinators in the Commonwealth. Please consider reinstating the peer review of local plans.

Along with the peer review of plans, it is important to reconsider the annual approval of plans suggested in the new regulations. In order to measure the effectiveness of a plan, adequate time must be given to implement and evaluate the success of the various components of the plan. A minimum of three years would allow for plans to be meaningfully evaluated. Continuing with the five year rotation would also allow for meaningful evaluation.

The inclusion of both norm referenced aptitude and achievement tests is important as these test measure ability/achievement in different ways. As our student populations become more and more diverse, it is more and more important for us to have many ways for the students to show their ability.

I feel fortunate to be part of education in the 21^st century. As I write this, our nation is involved in monumental changes. Our economic, political and social structures are stressed in ways that simply boggle the imagination. The issues facing the Commonwealth of Virginia are mirrored in those facing the nation.  Yet every school day, I am surrounded by the eager minds and quick smiles of our future leaders, future problem solvers, policy makers and work force. Please consider the ideas I have outline when reviewing the proposed gifted regulations. Please revise the proposed regulations to expand resources for educators, students and their families. These resources will have a powerful impact on the lives of our students for years to come.