Gifted and Talented: Federal Advocacy Alert

(1) thank you for your letters and calls regarding the proposed rescission of Javits funding for fiscal year 2002 -- they've made a difference! We've been told by appropriations committee staff that there is practically a zero chance that the funds will be cancelled. NAGC will stay on top of this issue, but I think it's reasonable to turn our attention elsewhere at this time.

(2) thanks to Senator Charles Grassley and Representative Elton Gallegly, we have an opportunity to help support a coordinated effort to increase funding for the Javits Act in fiscal year 2003. Both the Senator and Rep. Gallegly are soliciting co-signers on letters to the appropriations subcommittees that handle education funding, which request $25 million for the Javits program. WE NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE. Letters from your state associations to your Congressional delegations asking the Members to co-sign these letters will help strengthen the request. Individual letters from your members to their Senators and Representative will also be very helpful. See below (which is a new legislative update on the NAGC website) for more information on this request. Letters & emails should be sent in the next 2 weeks.

State leaders who were in town last weekend for the Affiliate Advocacy Conference got the ball rolling -- their visits to Congressional offices have already generated some co-signers; your letters and emails will keep the co-signer list growning!

Now that the Congress has received the President’s FY 2003 requests, the House and Senate appropriations committees, which divide the various federal agencies and programs among 13 subcommittees, hold hearings to help them determine how to divide the available funds for the coming year.

After the subcommittees complete their work, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees will pass agency appropriations bills (for education issues, the departments of education, health & human services, and labor are all within the jurisdiction of one subcommittee), which will then be presented separately to the House and Senate for approval.

This year, gifted education supporters are focused on the Javits Gifted & Talented Students Education Act, part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which was passed in late 2001. The President’s budget request omits funding for the Javits program again this year. Therefore, gifted education supporters must make a concerted effort with Congress overcome the barrier that the President has established.

The Javits program, which received a record $11.25 million in fiscal year 2002, was changed slightly in ESEA to create a small state grants program. The Act’s major components are now (1) the National Research Center; (2) demonstration grants; and (3) grants to states or districts to conduct statewide activities.

Funds for the statewide grants increase as the total amount allocated to the Javits Act increases. This year the total amount available for the state grants is $3.75 million, enough for about 6 to 8 grants. If we obtain $25 million for the Javits program next year, $17.5 million will be available for the state grants, meaning many more states can benefit from the Javits Act program.

Senator Charles Grassley (Iowa) and Representative Elton Gallegly (CA-23), both long-time supporters of gifted education, have each written letters to their respective appropriations subcommittees urging the subcommittee leaders to fund the Javits Act in fiscal year 2003 at $25 million.

Please show your support for gifted and talented students by co-signing Senator Grassley’s letter to the Labor/HHS/Education Appropriations Subcommittee, which requests $25 million for the Javits gifted students program in fiscal year 2003.

Be sure to identify yourself as a parent or teacher of a gifted student and include a sentence or two about how federal support for gifted education can make a difference in your state. Also, include your full name and your U.S. postal mailing address so that the office may respond to your letter, even if you sent it by email.

Note: if one of your Senators is Senator Grassley, or another of the Senators who has already co-signed the letter (see list below), send a note thanking your Senator for his/her support for increased funding for gifted education.

Please show your support for gifted and talented students by co-signing Representative Elton Gallegly’s letter to the Labor/HHS/Education Appropriations Subcommittee, which requests $25 million for the Javits gifted students program in fiscal year 2003.

Again, be sure to identify yourself as a parent or teacher of a gifted student and include a sentence or two about how federal support for gifted education can make a difference in your state. Also, include your full name and your U.S. postal mailing address so that the office may respond to your letter, even if you send your message via email.

As in the Senate, if your Representative is Representative Gallegly, or one of the co-signers (see list below), send a note thanking your Representative for his/her support for increased funding for gifted education.

Please send your emails or fax letters as soon as possible so that Senator Grassley and Representative Gallegly can gather as many signatures as possible before they send the letters on to the appropriations subcommittee.

** We do not recommend that you use the U.S. Post Office to mail letters because there is a two to three-week delay in mail reaching Congressional offices due to the continuing mail irradiation program.