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

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)