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

Awake the Sleeping Giant, part 3

Part 3 of 3

This is the conclusion to our 2017 November-December legislative effort.

By following these templates and sending your emails to your legislators, you have begun to build a credible relationship with your senator and representatives.  Your actions are crucial to our group effort to draw attention to the new bills that will be introduced in January to reinstate gifted education funding.

Stay tuned for additional templates that will be posted here once the legislative session starts in January.  TOGETHER we can make a difference.  We hope 2018 is the year when gifted education in Arizona will receive state funding.

OUR GOAL

Contact your legislatitors at least three times before the December holidays and encourage them to restore funding for Gifted Education.  Below you will find template #3.  Click here to find the contact information for your representative.  Send this email by Friday, December 15th. 

If you missed any part of this series, click below for templates and send your email(s) ASAP, before the end of December.

• Part 1 of 3
• Part 2 of 3

Parent Preparation & Learning

The National Association for Gifted Children has a brief collection of myths which include rebuttals based on simple facts.  What myths have you encountered?  Click here to peruse the common myths that surround gifted education.  

Template 3 of 3  

Subject line:  Let your email subject line contain "support" and "gifted education" in a manner of your choosing.

Greeting:  Dear Senator/Representative ________________  (Send three separate emails, one to your senator and one each to your two representatives.)

First paragraph:  After you have familiarized yourself with the common myths that surround gifted education, choose one that you identify with.  In your first paragraph share the myth and your brief personal encounter with it.  Example ...

I am the parent of a gifted child. A few years ago I had a principal get offended when I tried to explain giftedness to her.  "Every child is gifted," the principal said and would not allow us to discuss it further.  I was not angry, only deeply frustrated and disappointed.  Her response is actually typical for those who don't understand giftedness.  Yet, how will principals know how to hire qualified teachers for their gifted students if they themselves don't understand giftedness?  Since that conversation I have learned more about explaining giftedness and wish I could go back in time and visit with this principal again. 

Second paragraph:  Let this include the rebuttal of the myth you chose.  State that by funding gifted education, schools and districts can educate their communities about the truths of gifted education and gifted children can receive the services that address their learning differences.  

I would explain my deep belief that ALL children have gifts and talents whether or not they receive gifted education services just like ALL children are special, whether or not they receive special education services.  Here in Arizona the term "gifted" is to "gifted education" as "special" is to "special education."  It is a legislative and diagnostic term to describe learning differences caused by neuro-diversity.  Both special education (A.R.S. 15-764) and gifted education (A.R.S. 15-799) are mandated by state law; however, gifted education has been unfunded in Arizona since 2009.  If gifted education were funded, more principals and teachers could be trained in supports for the learning differences and growth of gifted students. 

Conclusion:  State that supporting gifted education is an investment and thank them for their support and service.

I'm writing to ask for your support to reinstate gifted education funding.  Gifted children learn differently and by supporting their learning differences you are investing in Arizona's intellectual capital.  Thank you for your time and efforts on behalf of our community.

Sincerely,

Your name

Active Voter in Legislative District # ___

Awake the Sleeping Giant, part 2

Part 2 of 3

This is part two of our 2017 November-December legislative effort.

If we want our emails to stand out during the legislative session, then we need to contact our legislators now, in the "off-season" so they will be familiar and recognize us and our efforts once the legislative session begins in January.

OUR GOAL

Contact your legislative representatives at least three times before the December holidays and encourage them to restore funding for Gifted Education.  Below you will find template #2.  Click here to find the contact information for your representative.  Send this email by Thursday, December 7th. 

If you missed the first in this series, click here for the blog link and send your email ASAP.

Template 2 of 3  

Subject line:  Let your email subject line contain "funding" and "gifted education" in a manner of your choosing.

Greeting:  Dear Senator/Representative ________________  (Send three separate emails, one to your senator and one each to your two representatives.)

First paragraph:  Let this contain a brief personal experience regarding the strengths and struggles of your gifted child.  You may wish to incorporate material from our Strengths and Challenges worksheet.  Example ...

I am the parent of a gifted child, age 10.  My daughter is able to work a year ahead in math and is an avid reader, reading four grade levels ahead.  She acquires and retains information easily with little repetition.  A challenge she has is patience while waiting for classmates to learn the same material.  She detests multiple repetitions of material she already knows.  In such a classroom climate her desire for learning actually wanes.  She needs teachers who understand her need to accelerate so that she can experience growth while in the classroom and develop into a lifelong learner.

Second paragraph:  Let this include your reason why gifted education needs funding, namely so that districts can train teachers in gifted education. 

I am grateful that the state of Arizona mandates gifted education (A.R.S. 15-799), even though gifted education has not been funded in Arizona since 2009.  If gifted education were funded, more teachers could be trained in multiple accelerations strategies to support the learning differences and growth of gifted students. I'm writing to ask for your support to reinstate gifted education funding.  This would allow districts to offer continual instructional support to teachers of the gifted.

Conclusion:  State that supporting gifted education is an investment and thank them for their support and service.

Gifted children learn differently and by supporting their learning differences you are investing in Arizona's intellectual capital.  I hope I can count on your support to reinstate gifted education funding.  Thank you for your service to our community.

Sincerely,

Your name

Active Voter in Legislative District # ___

Awake the Sleeping Giant

Part 1 of 3

by Stephanie Newitt, Gilbert Supporters of the Gifted

It is November and during this time of reflection and Thanksgiving I am thankful for the Arizona Association for Gifted & Talented (AAGT).  They have tirelessly worked to bring the need of gifted education funding to the attention of members of the Arizona legislature.  In the 2017 effort, our bill made it all the way through the Arizona House!  However, it was stalled in the Arizona Senate, not progressing beyond the Appropriations Committee.

AAGT is gearing up for the 2018 legislative session which begins in January.  We have learned that once the session starts, members of the legislature are inundated with 200+ emails daily!  If we want our emails to stand out during the legislative session, then we need to contact our legislators now, in the "off-season" so they will be familiar and recognize us and our efforts.

OUR GOAL

Contact your legislative representatives at least three times before the December holidays and encourage them to restore funding for Gifted Education.  We will provide templates for you.  Click here to find the contact information for your representative.  The first template is below.  Send this email prior to Thanksgiving.

Template 1 of 3

Subject line:  Let your email subject line contain "constituent" and "gifted education" in a manner of your choosing.

Greeting:  Dear Senator/Representative ________________  (Send three separate emails, one to your senator and one each to your two representatives.)

First paragraph:  Let this contain a statement that gifted education is needed and a brief personal experience.  Example ...

I am grateful that the state of Arizona mandates gifted education (A.R.S. 15-799), even though gifted education has not been funded in Arizona since 2009.  My 12 year old son is not in sync with his 12 year old peers as he is able to work two years ahead in math.  

Second paragraph:  Let this include your reason why gifted education needs funding. 

Giftedness affects the social and emotional development of gifted children as well.  Just because my son can do the math of a 9th grader doesn't mean he is socially and emotionally capable to socialize with them regularly.  I'm writing to ask for your support to reinstate gifted education funding.  This would allow districts to hire and train more teachers with gifted education certification, including training them to provide social/emotional supports for gifted students.  

Conclusion:  State that supporting gifted education is an investment and thank them for their support and service.

By supporting the learning differences of gifted children you are investing in the state’s intellectual capital.  I thank you for your support of this issue and for your service to our community.

Sincerely,

Your name

Active Voter in Legislative District # ___

Click here to go to our State Advocacy page on the GSG website where you will find more information to support you in your efforts.

AZ Gifted Kids Can't Afford to Wait!

Dear Family and Friends of Gifted Children,

Below is a simple way we can make a difference toward bringing back state support of gifted education.

Please act on the suggestion below from AAGT.

Thank you,

Stephanie Newitt

President, Gilbert Supporters of the Gifted

From AAGT ...

Superintendent of Public Instruction Diane Douglas, is holding a listening tour around the state.  There are not that many scheduled, but this is the time she is collecting feedback on what is important to people regarding education in the state.

On the Arizona Department of Education website (link below) are instructions to email her now while she is asking for feedback. The website makes it very easy to send an email directly to the Superintendent.

• Email Superintendent Diane Douglas at this website:  http://www.azed.gov/weheardyou/

• Click here for a sample letter containing AAGT talking points that you can copy, paste and personalize.

You can shorten the letter to touch on what is most important to you.  Before you copy and paste, be sure to personalize the letter signature.  If you want to write your own letter with your personal story, do that!  

Important points to include in your letter:

• Be sure to ask her what she (her office) plans to do.
• Be sure to put something about "support gifted education" in the subject line of the email.

This is pretty easy and should take you just a few minutes!  It is vital that many people are asking this question, so please get your friends and family to send emails or attend any of the tour dates listed on the website!

Thank you!

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

Legislative Action Needed! READ NOW!

Your chance to help make a difference

Per our by-laws, we are informing you, members/subscribers of Gilbert Supporters of the Gifted, of pending Arizona legislation that can positively impact gifted education in our state.

AZ House of Representatives:  HB 2356 on Gifted Education: Group B Weight is now dead for this session.   Click here for more information on HB 2356.  

AZ Senate:  Request a restoration of funding to Gifted Education – see ARS 15-779.03 below.

Arizona law on gifted education:

• Arizona Revised Statute (ARS) 15-779 - Definitions
• ARS 15-779.01 – Powers and Duties of the School District Governing Board as pertaining to gifted education
• ARS 15-779.02 – Gifted Pupils; Scope & Sequence; Finance Report
• ARS 15-779.03 – Additional Assistance for Gifted Programs (FUNDING)
• ARS 15-779.04 – Powers and Duties of Superintendent of Public Instruction

What can you do?  

On Twitter, tweet directly to your state senator that gifted education funding needs to be restored.

Send an email to your Senator weekly for the next month by following these easy steps below.  Send one today!

Get your teachers, grandparents, aunts, uncles and friends to do the same.  Though gifted children are a small percentage of the total student population, it is a moral issue that these children receive an education that is commensurate with their abilities.  It is the squeaky wheel that gets the grease.  We need to become the squeaky wheel.  Our momentum is just starting and we need to carry it through until the end of this legislative session and into the next year as it is needed.

STEP 1:  Click here to determine your legislative district and find your Senator.

STEP 2:  On the Senate roster click on “send email” for your legislator.

STEP 3:  Complete the fields provided with your contact information.

STEP 4:  Complete the subject line with “Constituent of LD#(INSERT YOUR NUMBER).  Restoration of Funding for Gifted Education” ... Legislators receive hundreds of emails, yet they are more likely to prioritize those from their own constituents.

STEP 5:  Cut and paste the letter below, adding your personal information and story as indicated …

Dear Senator (INSERT NAME OF YOUR SENATOR),

My name is (INSERT YOUR NAME), and I am a constituent of LD#(INSERT #).  I wish to encourage you to vote for a restoration of funding to gifted education.  I am a parent of a gifted child and a member of (INSERT ORGANIZATION, i.e.: the Gilbert Gifted Education Parent Council, Gilbert Supporters of the Gifted, Arizona Association for Gifted & Talented, ETC.)  Gifted Education is a state mandate (ARS 15-779), yet it has not been funded in Arizona since FY2009, even though gifted pupils have different and unique learning challenges.

There is a common myth that gifted children will do fine independently and that they don’t need support.  However, ALL students have strengths and struggles in which they need support, and gifted children are no less.  It is often difficult for parents of gifted children to find academic programs and teachers who understand the strengths and struggles of gifted kids.  

How will supporting gifted students help Arizona?  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.  Funding gifted education will help fund teacher training regarding the identification of gifted pupils in underserved populations and training regarding gifted child development and gifted teaching strategies. 

My story – (i.e. my fourth grade gifted child needs a teacher who understands her complex learning needs since she can read at a high school level but is still emotionally a fourth grader / my high school sophomore needs a teacher who understands gifted learning strategies so that he can be mentored in doing accelerated projects beyond the classroom in order to maintain engagement in his learning / etc.)

Gifted children who do not have teachers who understand them often do not experience a year’s worth of growth as typical children do in the regular classroom.  Having teachers who are trained in understanding gifted children is critical to gifted children’s success and the development of the skill set needed to contribute back to society. 

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 support the restoration of funding to gifted education.

Sincerely,

(INSERT YOUR NAME)

PS. I'm including this quick link so you can see a map of how Arizona compares with other states in gifted education support -http://www.davidsongifted.org/db/StatePolicy.aspx