Texas Senate Bill 2145 De-Funds Gifted Education

Texas Senate Bill 2145 De-Funds Gifted Education  
 
Tomorrow, Tuesday, April 18 at 9:00 a.m., Chairman Larry Taylor and the members of the Senate Education Committee will be holding a hearing to discuss Senate Bill 2145 (relating to the public school finance system). This proposed bill seeks to REPEAL the Gifted and Talented Student Allotment. If this is something you would like to weigh in on, you may contact the senators on the Senate Education Committee and tell them the importance of the G/T weight and allotment, explain that it was created to support gifted students for a reason, and voice your concerns about how detrimental it would be to revoke the allotment.

Members of the committee: 
Chairman Larry:  http://www.senate.state.tx.us/member.php?d=11
Don Huffiness:  http://www.senate.state.tx.us/member.php?d=16
Paul Bettencourt http://www.senate.state.tx.us/member.php?d=7
Donna Campbell  http://www.senate.state.tx.us/member.php?d=25
Bob Hall  http://www.senate.state.tx.us/member.php?d=2
Bryan Hughes  http://www.senate.state.tx.us/member.php?d=1
Kel Seliger  http://www.senate.state.tx.us/member.php?d=31
Van Taylor  http://www.senate.state.tx.us/member.php?d=8
Carlos Uresti http://www.senate.state.tx.us/member.php?d=19
Royce West  http://www.senate.state.tx.us/member.php?d=23 
 
 
Sample letter: 

Dear Chairman Taylor and Members of the Senate Education Committee:
 
Senate Bill 2145, which seeks to repeal the Gifted and Talented Student Allotment in the public school finance system (§ 42.156 of the Texas Education Code), would have a direct negative impact on the educational opportunities afforded to our gifted and talented students in the Highland Park Independent School District. I am a member of PCTAG, a non-profit 501(c)(3) parent organization for individuals interested in improving the education of talented and gifted children in HPISD schools.
 
Gifted students from every cultural background are unique in the way they process information in and out of school, and thus require differentiated curriculum and instruction to accommodate those differences.  These students have the potential to greatly impact the future of Texas, from medicine to the arts.  Being identified as gifted and talented is not a badge of honor, nor a reward for good behavior. It is an educational diagnosis requiring gifted program services that will encourage gifted and talented students to reach their full potential. Allocating specific support to the gifted and talented students in Texas is vital to promote their intellectual development in a challenging educational setting.
 
I strongly OPPOSE the repeal of the Gifted and Talented Student Allotment set forth in § 1.79 of SB 2145. The loss of funds will negatively impact more than 400,000 students identified as gifted across the state of Texas. Our gifted learners need opportunities to cultivate their strengths, to better understand and accept themselves, and to make positive contributions to the world. I urge you to OPPOSE SB 2145 and continue to support the education of gifted students in Texas.

Sincerely,

xxx


Please take action today.