New York State spends more money per pupil than any other, yet it’s one of only eight states that neither mandates nor funds gifted education.
I was wondering what, if anything, our state lawmakers are working on, and searched the New York State Assembly and Senate websites to find any relevant legislation. The good news: There are some promising ideas floating around. The bad news: The legislation has been stuck–in some cases for years–without seeing a floor vote.
On the New York State Senate website, members of the public can register their support of legislation, write a message to their senator, and even subscribe to updates about the legislation. Click on the bill numbers below to view the each bill on the State Assembly website or the matching bill on the State Senate website (where you can also register your support).
Directs that teachers be trained in the education of gifted students, and provides start-up funding for such training; authorizes necessary rule and/or regulation changes to properly implement the provisions of this legislation; appropriates $1,000,000 therefor.
Requires that school districts establish a gifted and talented program for gifted and twice-exceptional pupils; establishes guidelines as to the development of such programs and the identification of gifted and twice-exceptional pupils.
Relates to gifted and talented pupils with special needs.
Requires school districts to screen for gifted and talented students and provides the parents or guardians of such students the option to opt out of such screening.
How can you help? Take a moment to contact your state representatives in the Assembly and Senate to voice your support for gifted education in New York, and be sure to vote “Aye” on the Senate page for the bills you support. It looks like the sponsors are overwhelming from the New York City area. While we’re glad for their support of gifted education, we need our upstate representatives to realize that this isn’t only a big city issue–we all want and need gifted education.