31
Mar
The Senate released its proposed 2009-2011 Budget yesterday, and the House just released theirs a few minutes ago. I am proud to annouce that both Budgets maintain current funding levels for Highly Capable Education! Thank you for your advocacy! Without you speaking for your children, we would not be in this position. This is a very significant statement by our legislature in support of gifted education. I’ll be headed to Olympia this afternoon to testify before the Senate and House Ways and Means Committees to thank them for their support, and I’ll express my gratitude on behalf of all of you who made it happen.
April 3rd, 2009 at 12:47 pm
I’ve just returned from Olympia. Here’s the testimony I delivered to the Senate:
I am David Berg, Vice-President of the Academic Booster Club of Puyallup. I represent the nearly 100,000 highly capable students of Washington, their parents and teachers, and the advocates across the state who support them. I also speak for the Washington Coalition for Gifted Education, Northwest Gifted Child Association, Washington Association of Teachers of the Talented and Gifted, parent groups like mine, and for the arts and science programs at Centrum at Fort Warden and the academic competitions, Future Problem Solving and Destination ImagiNation. On behalf of my children, and children across the state like them, thank you. The level of funding provided for highly capable programs in this budget proposal shows you recognize that for gifted students, curriculum and instruction that matches their academic needs is basic education. Thank you.