The Elementary and Secondary Education Act, known as the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), will be fully implemented in the 2017-2018 school year. The current school year is also a time to put these changes in place.

Changes since No Child Left Behind that impact gifted education are three in number.

1) Title I specifies gifted children as a category for which Title I funds can be authorized. These funds can be used to identify and provide services for gifted children in Title I schools.

2) Title II specifies gifted children as a category for which Title II funds can be expended. Title II funds focus on professional development. Title II requires that funds be used to ensure that teachers and others in the schools are able to identify and serve gifted and talented students.

3) State Report Cards will report all levels of achievement for children and young people. Previously, the report card only had to show achievement up to the level of proficient. The groups for which levels of achievement will be reported remain the same – minority children, those from low-income families, children with disabilities, and English learners.

What can you do?

1) Advocate within your school district (school and district levels) to inform decision-makers about changes that ESSA highlights for gifted children. (See the three changes above.) Ask about the district’s and school’s specific plans to use Title II funds to provide professional development about gifted children and strategies to develop advanced potential and Title I to identify children who are advanced and provide services to develop their potential.

2) Stay up to date with a KAGE membership. You will receive quarterly newsletters as well as other updates that are timely.

3) Speak with your legislators and make sure they are up to date on the opportunities that the Every Student Succeeds Act opens up for gifted children.

Also, the Members-Only page has PowerPoint handouts used by presenters at recent KAGE workshops. https://kagegifted.org/members-only/  (Contact KAGE at kage@wku.edu for login information.)

 

last updated 09/28/2016