CEC Policy Insider

TALENT Act Charts New Course for Gifted, High-Ability Students

This CEC-endorsed bill focuses on teacher development, closing the “excellence gap.”

Did you know …

-      In California, only 1% of African American and Hispanic students scored at the ‘advanced’ level on the 8^th grade math NAEP assessment, as compared to 11% of white students.  (This achievement gap exists in every state)

-      High‐achieving students from disadvantaged backgrounds, when compared to their more advantaged peers, are twice as likely to drop out of school; more likely to lose ground as they move forward in their schooling; and are less likely to attend or graduate from college. (More here)

-      African American and Hispanic students are underrepresented in gifted education programs. (More here)

-      90% of teachers in a national survey reported that they would like more professional development to better educate high‐ability students.

CEC is applauding the leadership of Senators Grassley (R-IA), Casey (D-PA) and Mikulski (D-MD) for introducing To Aid Gifted and High-Ability Learners by Empowering the Nation’s Teachers (TALENT) Act, bipartisan legislation introduced on Monday which directly addresses these issues.

The TALENT Act expands the focus of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), in four key areas:  

1. Supporting Educator Development to Ensure Academic Growth for High-Ability Students: The TALENT Act recognizes the critical role of teachers as the catalyst for learning and academic growth and as such seeks to expand professional development opportunities in gifted education pedagogy for teachers nationwide.
   
   
2. Confronting and Addressing the National Excellence Gap: The TALENT Act responds directly to recent research demonstrating a growing “excellence gap” at the top achievement levels between students from low-income or minority backgrounds and their more advantaged peers by emphasizing opportunities for students who are economically disadvantaged, English language learners, individuals with disabilities, and individuals from rural areas throughout the bill.
   
   
3. Providing Public Transparency of Student Achievement Data: The TALENT Act emphasizes the importance of paying attention to the highest performance levels in the accountability system, with an emphasis on closing the “excellence gap”.
   
   
4. Continuing Research and Dissemination on Best Practices in Gifted Education The TALENT Act recognizes that the expanding research in gifted education is the foundation for the success of our nation’s students with gifts and talents.

CEC  -- together with the National Association for Gifted Children – have worked closely with Congressional leaders to support the introduction of the TALENT Act. This legislation comes at a pivotal time as Congress is long overdue to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, better known as No Child Left Behind.  Read CEC’s full press release here.

Tell your Senators to support the TALENT Act!

It is critical that you contact your Senators and ask that they cosponsor the TALENT Act.  CEC’s Legislative Action Center makes this easy, simply enter your zip code and personalize a pre-written email to get in immediate contact with your Senators.

Click here to see what Senators Grassley, Casey, and Mikulski had to say about the TALENT Act.

Click here to read Radio Iowa’s coverage of the TALENT Act

Sequestration is Fast Approaching: CEC Shares Concerns with White House

Sequestration, the DC name for $85 billion dollars of across the board budget cuts, is less than 10 days away. If Congress and the Administration fail to act, the US Dept. of Education will lose $2.5 billion dollars on March 1. On February 19, CEC attended a speech that President Obama delivered at the White House in which he urged Congress to take all needed steps to ensure that sequestration cuts, which he described would have the impact of a “meat cleaver” do not occur. View his remarks here.

Following this speech, CEC attended a meeting with representatives from other national education associations and top level White House education policy staff. At this meeting, CEC presented specific concerns about how sequestration cuts will impact special educators and children and youth with disabilities and/or gifts and talents. Read this Q&A for more information. White House staff is working with the education community to understand how budget cuts over the past few years have impacted education and how districts will be forced to cut if sequestration occurs.

According to CEC and CASE members, districts have made several cuts over the last few years and thus, sequestration is most likely to mean job cuts. IDEA is projected to lose $600 million in the next seven months. Districts will see reduced amounts in their July 1 allocations, thus this cut will impact the 2013-2014 school year.

We need your help!

Do 2 things – (1) send a letter to your members of Congress and share your concerns directly with them. It’s easy! Click here and use our Legislative Action Center – all you have to know is your zipcode. (2) Personalize the Op-Ed we have drafted for you and send it to media outlets in your area. These are 2 highly effective, easy and quick ways to ensure your concerns get noticed.

3,000 and Growing…Have You Signed the Gifted Ed Petition? Deadline for Signatures Just Days Away

Over 3,000 individuals from across the country have signed the White House petition asking the Obama Administration to pay closer attention to students with gifts and talents by supporting the TALENT Act, legislation CEC supports. 

Have you signed the petition?  

Have you asked your family and friends to sign? 

Have you tweeted and posted info on Facebook? 

We hope so!  The deadline for signatures is December 16 – that’s in just 6 days! 

We have a lot of ground to cover to reach the 25,000 goal – which will assure us a White House response – but we are hopeful we can get there! Anyone can sign the petition – you don’t have to be a gifted education professional, just simply an individual who cares about high-ability students. 

Need more convincing?!  Here are 5 reasons to support the TALENT Act petition!

Click here to sign the TALENT Act petition today!

5 Reasons to Sign the White House Petition Supporting Gifted Education

25,000 is the magic number we need to reach in order for the White House to issue an official response to a petition asking the Obama Administration to address gifted education.

So far we have only 1,100 signatures.  Can we count on you to sign the petition?

Need convincing?  Here are 5 reasons to sign the petition:

5. Currently, there is no federal investment in gifted education. The sole program supporting gifted ed was eliminated last year.

4. High ability students from disadvantaged backgrounds, are twice as likely to drop out of school and less likely to attend or graduate from college, than their more advantaged peers.

3. A growing “excellence gap” – the achievement gap at the top levels of academic performance - between African American, Hispanic, or students from low-income backgrounds and their Caucasian and more advantaged peers will take decades to close

2. 90% of teachers in a national survey reported that they would like more professional development to better educate high-ability students.

1.   All students deserve meaningful access to a challenging education.

Specifically, the petition is in support of the TALENT Act, legislation endorsed by both CEC and the National Association for Gifted Children.  This bill would ensure that accountability systems include students with gifts and talents, provide increased professional development in gifted education for educators, focus on underserved populations in gifted education, and support the research and development of best practices. 

Sign the White House petition and help us reach 25,000 signatures today!!

Important Vote this Wednesday @ 10am! Tell the House of Representatives to Fund Special & Gifted Education Today!

This year’s budget and appropriations process is well underway. Last month, the Senate approved its funding recommendations for education for the 2013 fiscal year (FY). Now, the House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health & Human Services and Education has scheduled a time to vote on its recommendations for education funding for FY2013 also – this Wednesday, July 18, @ 10am EDT. We need your voice now!

Tell your Representative to fund special education, gifted education, personnel preparation, and special education research. These programs are vital to the education of our nation’s children and youth with disabilities. Click here to send a letter to your Representative.

As you know, for the budget to pass and become law, both the House and Senate must approve the same numbers & legislation. Only if the same bill passes both chambers can it go to the President for his signature. Thus far, the Senate agreed to increase funding for IDEA Part B Grants to States by $100 million, for IDEA Part C Infants and Toddlers by $20 million and for Special Education Research by $10 million. (Read more about CEC’s fight to fund Special Education Research here.) Unfortunately, the Senate also cut IDEA Part D National Programs Personnel Preparation monies. So, while we are calling on the House to maintain the Senate’s increases, we are also asking that Representatives maintain funding for all IDEA Part D programs – and reverse the Senate cut.

This process is far from over – your advocacy made a difference in the Senate and over 2,000 of you sent letters telling Senators what was important. That effort worked! Please take a minute today and send a letter to your Representative in the House. Together we can make a difference!

Have you seen the impact of budget cuts in your community? In your school? On your students? If so, you can easily personalize CEC’s letter – take a moment to add your own personal story. Thanks for all of your help - Stay tuned to the PI blog – and to CEC’s Policy & Advocacy on Twitter @CECAdvocacy– for all the latest news!