FROM: Sally Walker, Executive Director

Friends,

We still have an opportunity to positively impact the funding for gifted education. As a result, I put together an Op Ed piece for dissemination. Our Policy Advisor suggested that we do everything possible to get this information into regional papers. It will help a great deal if everyone who reads this uses this piece as baseline information and adds a few of their own words as well as their name and sends it to their local news outlets.

I believe the impact will be larger on legislators if this information comes from constituents, rather than the executive director of the IAGC. The important thing is to get the word out so that legislators are persuaded to add a line item for gifted. This is a top priority now.

Here's all you have to do:

1. Personalize the Op Ed piece [below] with a couple of sentences about yourown family.
2. Mail it to your newspapers and radio and television stations. Addresses are in your telephone directory.
3. Or, to e-mail, go to Illinois Media Guide http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/media/?command=state_search&state=IL Find Links to your local Newspapers, Magazines, Radio, and Television. To send a message, select your recipient(s) [up to 5] and click "Compose Message." Copy & paste your adapted Op Ed piece.
4. Be sure to include your name, address, and telephone number for them to verify that it's from you.

---------[Here is the Op Ed piece below for you to adapt & disseminate.]------

Gifted Education Needs Funding

For over thirty years, the state of Illinois provided categorical funding for gifted programs through annual appropriations in the state budget. During that period Illinois was regarded as one of the states leading the nation in serving the needs of gifted and talented children.

In 2003, at the end of the legislative session, the language for gifted and talented was removed from the Illinois School Code, and the funding went from a categorical line item into the general fund. This change forced many districts to cut gifted programs and services to gifted and talented learners.

Last year the Illinois Association for Gifted Children, working alongside educators and parents throughout the state, successfully lobbied to restore gifted education language in the school code. The Illinois Association for Gifted Children is now seeking funding so that services can be restored. At present there are no funds for gifted education in the state budget, despite some support from members of the Illinois State Board of Education and a number of legislators.

Gifted and talented children have special needs. There are gifted and talented children in all districts in Illinois. Gifted and talented children are present in all racial, ethnic, and income groups. As a state we are losing talent by not addressing the educational needs of these children. To meet their needs, they must have accelerated and enriched curriculum and teachers who are trained to meet their needs.

We ask that people call on the governor and legislators to ask that they include a line item for gifted education in the budget. Gifted students in Illinois need your help and support.

If you have any questions or need more information, go to IAGC Advocacy Committee Co-Chairs:

• Cathy Greene - Normal greeneca@unit5.org
• Nancy Hertzog - Champaign nhertzog@uiuc.edu
• Kris McElligatt - Mt. Prospect kmcellig@comcast.net

GOAL: Educate the decision-makers about the needs of gifted children