Quick Update on Advocacy Issues - 8/15/17

State Budget.  As you probably know, Wisconsin does not yet have a state budget for the 2017-19 biennium.  At this writing (8/15/17) the state legislature is wrapped up in the Foxconn proposal.  Please write your state Assembly representative and your state Senator asking them to support gifted education funding!  You can find WATG’s request and a sample letter under our website’s Advocacy tab.  If you’re not sure who your state legislators are, you can find out here: https://legis.wisconsin.gov/ - enter your HOME address or use the map!

ESSA.  The WI Department of Public Instruction has revised their ESSA proposal (for the federal Department of Education) after holding hearings throughout the state this summer.  We are pleased to report that they have increased the language related to gifted students and gifted education, reinforcing the provision that gifted programming is an essential part of RtI.  You can see the current version of the plan here: https://dpi.wi.gov/esea/wisconsin-draft-consolidated-state-plan.  This draft will go to the Senate and Assembly Education Committees and then a revision will go to the governor’s office.  The final version should be submitted to Washington by Sep. 18.

Acceleration Policy.  WATG is developing an initiative to collect district policies on student acceleration and to propose model acceleration policies.  Stay tuned!

Thank you for advocating on behalf of gifted students and gifted education!