Passing the Torch

As of the 2018-19 school year, the Gilbert Supporters of the Gifted mission

will be carried out by Gilbert's ​Gifted Education Parent Council (GEPC).

Click here to learn about the purpose and mission of the GEPC.

Follow on Facebook:

The GEPC at  https://www.facebook.com/GilbertGifted/

The Arizona Association for Gifted & Talented (AAGT) at https://www.facebook.com/ArizonaAssociationforGiftedandTalented/

AAGT - Legislative Update!

A Message from AAGT's Advocacy Committee

A Step By Step Guide to making your voice heard 

Help us cross the finish line! 

We are nearing the end of the legislative session! The good news is that we have gotten further than we ever have before in the fight to restore funding for gifted programs. Both of our bills passed (nearly unanimously) in every committee, and both were amended on the floor to increase the proposed funding to $2.9 million in the first year and $3.4 million in subsequent years. This is good news! 

The bad news is that, like all bills that include expenditures, these bills will not reach the Governor for signature. Instead, these bills will have to become part of the budget process and WE NEED YOUR HELP. As legislators are negotiating, we need gifted education to be on their minds. Will you help us keep gifted programs on their legislative radar?

It is simple and takes less than two minutes. 

STEP ONE: Paste the following list of Senators and Representatives into your bcc: box. 

lalston@azleg.gov

rbowers@azleg.gov

mcardenas@azleg.gov

hcarter@azleg.gov 

kclark@azleg.gov

rcobb@azleg.gov

cfernandez@azleg.gov

rfriese@azleg.gov

vleach@azleg.gov

dlivingston@azleg.gov

jnorgaard@azleg.gov

trivero@azleg.gov

mugenti-rita@azleg.gov

sallen@azleg.gov

sborrelli@azleg.gov

ocajerobedford@azleg.gov

kfann@azleg.gov

sfarley@azleg.gov

khobbs@azleg.gov

jkavanagh@azleg.gov

wpetersen@azleg.gov

mquezada@azleg.gov

stsmith@azleg.gov

STEP TWO: Come up with a subject line that mentions “Gifted.” You need not include the bill numbers. I like :“Make this the year for Gifted Education.”

STEP THREE: Write a quick note about why gifted education matters. Even a short personal note makes more of an impact than a form letter. 

That being said, here is what I am sending: “Thank you for your leadership this year to restore funding for gifted education. 89,000 gifted students and their families are counting on you. As the parent of three gifted kids, I can tell you that the programs, identification, and teacher training have suffered since the funding was eliminated in 2009. These high potential students need our support and I hope that you will support restored funding for gifted education in the budget.”

STEP FOUR: Hit send and feel a sense of satisfaction of having your voice heard. 

Bonus Points: Do you know who really needs hear about gifted education? The Governor’s Office. Year after year, restoration of gifted funding has not been included in the Governor’s Executive Budget (his list of budget priorities). A short note to the Governor would go a long way. The office contact information is here.

Thanks for all you do for gifted education! 

Your AAGT Advocacy Committee

2018 Legislative Action: Gifted Education Funding

The 2018 session of the Arizona Legislature is in full swing!  We want to keep you informed of AAGT's efforts to advocate for the restoration of funding for gifted education.  Currently gifted education is an unfunded state mandate.  The state has not funded gifted education since 2009.

This year House Bill (HB) 2112, sponsored by Rep. Heather Carter, has passed the House Education Committee and the House Appropriations Committee. (Click here to view the video of amazing testimony given at the House Appropriations Committee.)  It continues to move forward in the process!

Mirror bill, Senate Bill (SB) 1161, sponsored by Sen. Kate Brophy McGee, has passed the Senate Education Committee.  This year there is a new chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and he has agreed to put SB 1161 on Tuesday's agenda, February 20th.  Last year the former chair did not permit our bill to be placed on an agenda, so this year we are already making progress!

Gilbert's Gifted Education Parent Council (GEPC) is working with AAGT to spread the word on these legislative efforts and how you can help.  The GEPC is asking that all stakeholders (parents, grandparents, educators, etc.) send an email to members of the Senate Appropriations Committee.  Many thanks to the GEPC for preparing the sample email below.  Please try to email these Senators by Monday evening.

Sample email to Chairman Kavanagh and Vice Chair Petersen ...

Subject line:  SB1161 - Support for Gifted Education Funding

My name is  (your name here) and I am a (parent, educator, gifted student, administrator). I understand you will be hearing SB1161 on February 20th. This bill addresses Gifted Education funding. I am writing in support of SB1161, that helps restore funding for gifted education, assessments, and support needed to meet gifted students’ needs.

Arizona has a mandate stating that all public school districts must both identify gifted learners and provide appropriate educational programs and services for these students, yet there is no funding allocated specifically to gifted programming. Gifted allocations were defunded in 2010 due to fiscal budget cuts. Parents like me hope that there can be some effort made to help restore funding to gifted programming.

Gifted education is important to me (because...)

Thank you for your time,

(your name and contact info)

jkavanagh@azleg.gov Chairman

wpetersen@azleg.gov Vice-Chairman

sallen@azleg.gov

sborrelli@azleg.gov

kfann@azleg.gov

khobbs@azleg.gov

mquezada@azleg.gov

stsmith@azleg.gov

Upcoming Events

Registration is now taking place for the following events ...

AAGT Conference Registration NOW OPEN!

"Shaping Our Future One Child at a Time"

When: Thursday, 02/01/2018 - Friday, 02/02/2018

Where: Black Canyon Conference Center, Phoenix

What: A two-day event geared towards the needs of the Gifted population in Arizona and around the U.S. This event is for educators, professionals, parents, and anyone wishing to learn about Giftedness, further develop their knowledge, and to become a part of the Arizona Gifted community. Look forward to hearing from nationally renowned speakers, as well as statewide organizations.

Early bird registration prices end December 1st.

Registration link:  http://arizonagifted.org/conferences/#AnnualConference

Parent University Gifted Education Classes

Navigation link:  
www.gilbertschools.net → Parent Zone →  Parent University →  Gifted Education

The Role of the School and Home Environments in the Lives of Gifted Students

When:  Monday, 1/22/18, 5:30-7:30

Where: Val Vista Lakes Elementary

The discussion will explore how the school and home environments can work collaboratively to ensure gifted students' learning differences and social and emotional needs are addressed so the students are able to thrive in all areas of their lives. Topics include the importance of following passion interests and having social activities to accommodate each child's asynchronous development.

Registration required.  Click here for registration.    

The Gifted Child - Underachievement 

When:  Tuesday, 1/30/18, 5:30-7:30 

Where: Highland Junior

What are the causes of underachievement? And what can be done about it? Puzzling to parents, teachers, and even children themselves, underachievement is often chalked up to poor choices. When it is recognized, parents often feel helpless or unsure what to do about it. But there is much that can be done. Learn when to take action – and how to get help.

Registration required.  Click here for registration.  

AAGT 2017 Legislative Advocacy Summary

AAGT Advocacy Summary

May 8, 2017

Currently there are 89,000 students in Arizona identified as gifted from all demographics, cultures and corners of the state.  Since funding was suspended in 2009, there have been inconsistencies in identification and in the ability of districts and schools to provide curriculum and instruction at a level commensurate with gifted students needs.

Advocacy during the 2017 Legislative Session

Restoration of Funds

We are pleased with the positive response from both Senators and Representatives who have listened, asked questions, and become champions of the importance of gifted education for our students and the future of our state.

Through the leadership of Representative Heather Carter, HB2199 passed through the House Education Committee with a unanimous vote in favor, and passed through the House Appropriations Committee and the House Committee of the Whole with near unanimity overwhelmingly in favor of restoring gifted education funds.

In the Senate, Senator Kate Brophy-McGee introduced mirror bill, SB1105.  With the additional leadership of Senator Sylvia Allen, the Senate Education Committee unanimously voted in favor of restoring funds for gifted education.  SB1105 did not go on to be heard in the Senate Appropriations Committee.  And likewise, once HB2199 went on to the Senate, it was not heard in the Senate Appropriations Committee, in spite of its overwhelming support.

Members of the House and Senate then worked to add the restoration of funds for gifted education to the budget.  

Representative Carter changed the funding proposal to $500,000 from the original $3.5 million during the budget process.  It was agreed that this was a much more realistic ask at this point in the negotiations.  Even so, Gifted Education did not end up in the budget this year.

We appreciate the valiant effort on the part of Representative Carter and Senator Kate Brophy-McGee.  Please send them a thank you!  hcarter@azleg.gov   kbrophymcgee@azleg.gov

The GOOD NEWS is we have not lost any ground.  In fact, we have gained.

• We have reached out to key legislators with a more vibrant message and introduced gifted education to new members of the House and Senate  
• Representative Carter has been and is still working behind the scenes to get support
• It has been reported to us that members of the Legislature are indeed talking about gifted education.  We have laid a good foundation to build on!

What are our advocacy efforts going forward?  If there is anything we have learned, it is that we need to be patient.  There are hundreds of issues in our state worthy of investment.  The key is to educate all legislators, the Governor, and business and organizational stakeholders that gifted education funding isn’t limited to helping just our gifted students; it is an investment in the intellectual capital of the state.  How many of those other worthy causes could benefit from such an investment?

• Representative Carter is committed to introducing another bill in the fall to build awareness and support.

• It is important to continue contacting Legislators and tell the story.  Personal compelling stories are important to help Legislators understand and get on board.  Summer is a great time to make a visit to the Senator and Representatives in your Legislative District.  Take your gifted student and help your Legislators put a face to the issue!

In speaking with Representative Carter, she shared that constituents who advocate for gifted education with their Legislative District’s Senator and Representatives magnify the volume of her voice in the Legislature.  

*******

To find your Legislative District and the names of the Senator and Representatives who represent you, follow this link: http://azredistricting.org/districtlocator/

Here is a sample communiqué:

Dear Senator or Representative  _________________,

I am aware that you passed a budget this year without the inclusion of funding for gifted education.  

I will continue to work with you to ensure funding is restored for gifted education.

This is important to me because _______________________

Sincerely,

Your name

The city in which you live

*******

Please let me know if you have any questions or comments!

I hope to meet many of you at the AAGT Parent Institute on September 23, 2017.

Thank you so much for your support!  Together we can make this happen!

Donna J. Campbell, M.Ed.

Advocacy Chair, Arizona Association for Gifted and Talented

dcampbell@azgifted.com

AAGT ACTION ALERT! MARCH 28, 2017

Dear East Valley Families of Gifted Students,

We are key players in getting our members of the legislature to support the inclusion of gifted education in the state budget.  Please read this important notice from AAGT!

Stephanie Newitt

President

Gilbert Supporters of the Gifted

Update: Despite all of our efforts to get HB2199 to be heard in the Senate Appropriations Committee, it didn’t happen. The bill process is done. We now have to work at getting gifted funding into the budget. Reducing our ask from $3.5 million to $500,000 provides a more agreeable amount to get into the budget at this point. Then next year, we will be back for more! 

We are grateful for the leadership of Representative Heather Carter who championed HB2199 so successfully; it passed through the House Education Committee with a unanimous vote in favor, and passed through the House Appropriations Committee and the House Committee of the Whole with near unanimity overwhelmingly in favor of restoring gifted education funds. 

In the Senate, our friend, Senator Kate Brophy-McGee introduced mirror bill, SB1105. With the additional leadership of Senator Sylvia Allen, the Senate Education Committee unanimously voted in favor of restoring funds for gifted education. SB1105 did not go on to be heard in the Senate Appropriations Committee. 

OUR TASK ASAP:  
Send emails to members of the Senate and House Appropriations Committees to include $500,000 in the budget to support the reinstatement of funding for gifted education. 

Even if you have contacted them before, this is a new ask, and it is important to remind them why this is important to you.

In addition, we are asking you to contact all leaders in both the House and Senate. If your Legislative District Senator and/or Representatives are not already on one of these lists, please contact them. Members of the Legislature value constituents’ opinions. 

The lists of the Senate and House Appropriations Committee members are attached along with other leaders we need to reach. Ask your contacts to do the same and remember every email counts! It just could be your story, your compelling reason to have funding restored that makes a difference! 

Thank you for your support! 
Donna Campbell,
AAGT Advocacy Chair 
dcampbell@azgifted.com

Click here for the google doc with the email addresses for the members of both the Senate and House Appropriation Committees.

Click here if you need help finding out who your legislators are.

Click here to visit the page of the GSG website regarding advocacy at the state level.

Summer Greetings!

Summer Greetings!

Please read the letter below and respond immediately to the request to contact the Governor's office.  We want to keep the momentum going with our work to restore funding for gifted education!

It is easy to do your part!

Thank you so much,

Donna J. Campbell, President,

Arizona Association for Gifted and Talented

***

What did I do on my summer vacation? I made a difference in the lives of gifted children. 

Through the heat of summer, it may be hard to imagine that fall will ever be here. Yet as you read these words, decision makers at the capitol are making funding plans for the 2017-2018 school year. We need your help to make sure that gifted education is part of these discussions.  

As you know, Arizona schools are mandated to provide gifted education, yet the state has not funded this mandate since 2009. Our schools need this money to identify gifted students, train teachers, and provide the education our students need. With your help last legislative session, AAGT gained serious ground in the fight for funding. We need your help again to keep the heat on our leaders to fund these important programs. 

Would you please spend two minutes of your summer vacation improving the lives of gifted children? Governor Ducey's office needs to hear from you TODAY that gifted education should be a priority. The process is easy. Simply go to his office webpage, and you can cut and paste our message or feel free to write your own. 

We don't want to see the support for gifted education melt away! Let's keep the heat on our leaders to fund these essential programs! 

***

Governor Ducey, 

I am a (Parent of a gifted child; gifted educator; gifted student) and a member of Arizona Association for Gifted & Talented. Gifted Education is a state mandate, yet it has not been funded in Arizona since FY2009.

There is a common myth that gifted students will do fine on their own. Nothing could be further from the truth. Many gifted students are so far ahead of their same-age peers that they know more than half of the grade-level curriculum before the school year begins. Their resulting boredom and frustration can lead to low achievement, despondency, or unhealthy work habits. The role of the teacher is crucial for spotting and nurturing talents in school. It is often difficult for parents of gifted children to find academic programs and teachers who understand the strengths and struggles of gifted kids. For this reason, funding gifted education is essential not only to gifted students, parents, and educators, but also to the future Arizona economy that will need this bright young minds in the coming years.  

As you plan for the 2017-2018 school year, funding for gifted education should be part of the discussion. These essential programs have gone unfunded for too long. Please, as you plan for the future school years, include funding for gifted education. 

Our students are counting on you. 

Thanks, 

(Your name here) 

Final legislative update: Gifted Education Funding in Arizona

To Gilbert Supporters of the Gifted,

A huge thank you for the time you spent writing your own emails and making phone calls and visits to the state capital! And thank you for the time and effort you spent getting other folks to do the same!

From all accounts, what we did in a relative short period of time (and we started out late in the process) was pretty AMAZING! We actually had a bill and then an amendment and support from some of the biggest players in the Legislature!!!! And look at the number of people whom we educated about gifted education!

It is disappointing that neither the House or Senate felt the time was right to offer the amendment to fund gifted education in this budget, but it is understandable since in the final days of the budget process Legislators are looking for consensus.

We sure have learned a lot this year and although this stings, that sting will go away and we will push on. In fact, there is already good news in the legislature toward moving forward on this issue which will help us lots with momentum for next year.

The summer will be taken up with creating our Community Action Network, making sure we have at least one person in each Legislative District to rally the troops, and provide a network to communicate legislative updates and calls to action.

We will also visit with members of the Legislature to continue to educate them on the learning differences of gifted students and the need to respond to those differences with funding.

So our work is not done, there is a lot more fun to come!

AAGT appreciates your commitment to the gifted children of our state and we look forward to continuing our work together!

Sincerely,

Donna Campbell

President, AAGT

Wave #2 - AAGT Legislative Update & Call to Action!

The Arizona Association for Gifted & Talented has provided us with this detailed update and targeted call to action.  Even if you have already sent an email to your legislator, send another one with the talking points below.  This will help draw attention to the need for gifted education to have its funds reinstated.  Remember that it is the sqeaky wheel that gets the grease!

An Affiliate of the National Association for Gifted Children

IMPORTANT Legislative Call to Action!

March 24, 2016

Gifted Education Needs Your Support

We are writing this special AAGT newsletter to present you with an immediate opportunity to make a difference in gifted education in the state. This legislative session has seen several targeted investments in education in Arizona. We need your help to make sure gifted education is one of those targets.

Your legislators need to hear from you TODAY that gifted education is budget priority.

The more vocal our community can be showing support of gifted education, the more likely it is that we will get this funding restored. Here is what you need to know:

Arizona schools are mandated to provide services to gifted students. During the Great Recession, this funding was eliminated, yet our schools still operate under the unfunded mandate to provide gifted education. For the last six years this has meant fewer highly qualified teachers, fewer gifted classrooms, and less administrative support for these programs. This year, members of Arizona Association for Gifted and Talented have met with legislators, testified before the House Education Committee, and reached out to countless parents, teachers, and administrators about the need to restore funding for gifted education.

Now we need your help to keep up the momentum. As the legislature begins negotiations over a final budget, we need you, the greatest advocates for your gifted students, to get involved. Will you please write your representatives today and tell them that this vital funding should be restored?

• Restored funding helps gifted students. We know that the hallmark of giftedness is the exceptional ability to reason and learn. Gifted students learn differently and need well-trained teachers who challenge and support them in order to fully develop their abilities.

• Restored funding helps parents by increasing opportunities for their child. We all know parents who are willing to brave any traffic and travel any distance to find the school best able to meet their child’s needs. A quality education for gifted students should be available no matter where you live within the State. Gifted classrooms in both public and charter schools are included in this measure.

• Restored funding helps teachers by funding training in identifying gifted pupils in underserved populations as well as training teachers in gifted child development and gifted teaching strategies.

• Restored funding helps the Arizona economy by investing in the future Arizona workforce. Funding gifted classrooms creates the homegrown talent needed in this State for a robust economy in the coming years.  

Representative Heather Carter has worked with AAGT to propose two items for the

budgetary process that need your support:

1. A commitment of one million dollars to partially fund gifted programs according to existing law as a one-year pilot.  

2. The creation of a study committee to review whether gifted funding is more appropriately placed in Group B funding rather than Group A funding. This distinction matters because under Arizona’s school funding regime, Group A funding is pooled funding, rather than distinct, per-pupil funding. Moving gifted to Group B funding would provide, and potentially add, more stable funds to gifted classrooms in addition to encouraging the identification of gifted students in all populations.

Would you show your support of gifted education?

Step One: Click Here to find your legislators.  

Step Two: Cut and paste the letter (or create your own) into the email box.

Dear (LEGISLATOR),

My name is (INSERT YOUR NAME), and I want to encourage you to restore funding for gifted education in Arizona. I am a (PARENT OF A GIFTED CHILD; GIFTED EDUCATOR; GIFTED STUDENT) and a member of Arizona Association for Gifted & Talented. Gifted Education is a state mandate, yet it has not been funded in Arizona since FY2009, even though gifted pupils have different and unique learning challenges.

Gifted education needs to be a budget priority. A targeted investment in gifted education is evidence based, and helps students, teachers and the economy alike.

There is a common myth that gifted students will do fine on their own. Nothing could be further from the truth. Many gifted students are so far ahead of their same-age peers that they know more than half of the grade-level curriculum before the school year begins. Their resulting boredom and frustration can lead to low achievement, despondency, or unhealthy work habits. The role of the teacher is crucial for spotting and nurturing talents in school. It is often difficult for parents of gifted children to find academic programs and teachers who understand the strengths and struggles of gifted kids.

Investing in Arizona’s gifted children is an investment in our Intellectual Capital and our State’s economy. It will foster a home-grown workforce to fuel growing local businesses. Restoring funding to gifted education will help fund the training of teachers in identifying gifted pupils in underserved populations as well as training teachers in child development and gifted teaching strategies.

The philosophy of gifted education is to identify and support a student’s strengths as well as in their areas of struggle. When gifted education is supported this philosophy can permeate the schools and make a difference in the education of ALL students.

Please make restoring this funding a priority during budget negotiations by supporting the one year, one million dollar pilot funding for gifted education and supporting a study committee to review whether gifted funding would be more appropriately placed in Group B funding rather than Group A.

Sincerely,

(INSERT YOUR NAME)

Step Three: Please speak to your friends, family, teachers, and principal in support of this

budget priority. Follow AAGT on Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date on gifted issues in

Arizona.

Step Four:  Please make a phone call, send a thank you email, Facebook message or tweet to Representative Carter and Senator Dial for their support of Arizona gifted education.

Thank you so much!

Arizona Association for Gifted and Talented

PO Box 51772, Phoenix, Arizona 85076-1772 Phone 602-882-1848

www.arizonagifted.org

• Click here to print the March 2016 Legislative Update from Google Drive 
• Click here to print the March 2016 Legislative Call to Action from Google Drive