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At Risk — Gifted Education in Virginia

You must act now to preserve Gifted Education in the Commonwealth of Virginia! Below are two proposed changes and how they will affect gifted students. We need your help!

Sadly, the proposed new regulations governing programs for gifted students in Virginia move services for gifted learners backwards instead of forwards. There are many concerns about the proposed changes, but there are two proposals that all Virginians must work toward changing if we are to support the needs of gifted learners within public education in the Commonwealth.

(1) 8VAC20-40-60. Local plans.

The proposed revision states that the local plan will no longer be submitted to the Department of Education (DOE) for approval, and will instead be approved annually by the local school board. This change is detrimental for several reasons:

  1. The only quality control and outside review of a division plan is through the approval process by the DOE. Without DOE approval, no central authority will be responsible to confirm that the plan is in compliance with regulations.
  2. Educators and community stakeholders invest significant time and effort to create a 5-year plan and in the process seek peer review from other gifted education colleagues. To shift this process to the local level will eliminate the productive insights that emerge from this peer review.
  3. It is not productive to develop a plan on an annual basis. The local advisory committee is given the responsibility to review annually the local plan to determine effectiveness and submit recommendations in writing to the superintendent and school board.
  4. As a whole, school board members are not considered experts in the field of gifted education and will not be able to provide feedback for gifted program plans.

2) 8VAC20-40-70

The repeal of the funding language which previously stated,

"State funds administered by the Department of Education for the education of gifted students shall be used to support only those activities identified in the school division's plan as approved by the Board of Education"

is seriously problematic.

  1. Currently, Standards of Quality (SOQ) Basic Aid Funding for gifted education supports the state share of one full-time equivalent instructional position (FTE) per 1,000 students in adjusted average daily membership (ADM) of a school division.
  2. What happens to the funds that were intended for gifted program services? In the absence of this regulatory language protecting the funding for gifted program services, funds could be used for other purposes which could reduce the quality of gifted programming in many school divisions.

Please let your voice be heard and request the following:

  1. Each local school division shall submit to the Department of Education for approval a plan, developed on a 5-year basis, for the education of gifted students to ensure that the regulations are being followed.
  2. State funds administered by the DOE for the education of gifted students shall be used only to support those activities identified in the school division's plan as approved by the Board of Education (BOE).

After reading the proposed changes to the Regulations, please post your concerns and comments on the Town Hall website. The public comment period is scheduled to open on June 9, 2008 and close on August 8, 2008. Send a copy of your concerns and requests to:

Dr. Mark Emblidge
President, Board of Education
413 Stuart Circle, Suite 130
Richmond, VA 23220
Dr. Billy Cannaday, Jr.
Superintendent of Public Instruction
Virginia Department of Education
P. O. Box 2120 Richmond
VA 23218-2120

Specialist, Governor's School and Gifted Education

You may also want to contact other state board of education members.

Check the VAG website for updates. Click on "legislation" for additional information about the revision of the regulations. Please forward this information to others who may want to help ensure that the future of gifted education in Virginia will move forward.

Fairgrade — Changing FCPS Grading Policies

A group of parents, including FCAG's president, has been lobbying FCPS to modify its grading policies so that they are more consistent with national norms, and FCPS students have a level playing field in applying to out-of-state colleges, and in applying for college honors programs and merit scholarships. For more information, visit the Fairgrade website.

TJHSST Summer Tech Institute 2008

TJ will be offering one-week day camps this summer for rising 8th and/or 9th graders. Registration opens on May 12th, and the camps are scheduled during July and early August. For detailed information about the offerings, visit the TJ website, including the Summer Tech FAQ. For ALL information regarding applications and the registration process, please visit the FCPS web site or ACE web site. Registration for the TJ Tech Institute will NOT be accepted at TJHSST.

TJ Admissions Statistics for Class of 2012

FCPS has released some statistics on the demographic and certain other characteristics of students who applied to TJ in 2007-08 and who were admitted to TJ this spring.

TJ 2009 Admissions Data Available

In 2005, FCPS provided data to a FCPS parent about the academic qualifications, sex and race of all students applying to become a member of TJ '09, and whether they were admitted. This data was made available to the Center for Equal Opportunity (CEO), a tax-exempt nonprofit. The data suggests that the holistic admissions process resulted in the rejection of dozens of exceptionally qualified candidates, and the admission of some far less qualified students. To see this admissions data for TJ '09, visit the CEO website.

Proposed Budget Cuts by FCPS

In January 2008, FCPS staff proposed to reduce bus transportation to and from GT Centers and from TJ. Staff also proposed to charge students to take PSAT, AP, and IB tests, and to participate in high school sports. In May 2008, FCPS staff proposed a new budget, which did not cut these services but which increased class sizes and reduced teacher salaries. See: FY2009 Budget. If you have suggestions on other ways FCPS could save money, contact the School Board.

SLEEP Bus Transportation Update

The FCPS Transportation Task Force has issued a report recommending that FCPS modify its bus schedules so that high school students (other than TJ students) generally would start school later, and elementary school students generally would start school earlier. For more information, visit the SLEEP website.

FCAG Summer Enrichment Camp Guide

FCAG's 2008 Summer Camp Guide is available on the Publications page.

Twice Exceptional

Work continues to improve instructional services and support provided by FCPS to twice exceptional (gifted and learning disabled) students. For more information, contact

Connie Lorentzen.

Ms. Lorentzen began spearheading this effort when she was the vice president of the Fairfax County Council of PTAs.