We would like to share with you some of the issues with which we recently engaged:
1. Vouchers: There simply are not enough thank yous to offer to everyone who contacted their state legislators, shared information within their own networks, and worked so diligently to express concerns about the impact that vouchers could have on gifted and 2e students in public schools. We will continue to monitor their impact and offer education, advocacy and support related to their implementation in Texas.
2. Chaplains as Unlicensed Counselors: State legislation allows local school boards the option of hiring chaplains to serve as unlicensed school counselors. GEFN is unequivocally opposed to this option and urges its members to contact their local school board trustees to actively engage in this decision-making. To learn more about this issue and what you can do, please read our full statement here.
3. Acceleration: A state law mandates that students who score in the top 40% on their 5th-grade math STAAR in the spring be automatically enrolled in an advanced math track in 6th grade, starting in the fall of 2024. The math track must be designed so that students can take Algebra 1 in 8th grade. We encourage our members to ask their campus and district administrators for details about how this requirement is being implemented in their local schools; in particular, districts should be able to ensure parents that student-teacher ratios in advanced middle school math classes are reasonable and that any teachers hired for new sections of advanced math have appropriate training in both mathematics and gifted education. As you consider advanced math classes for your children, we would also like to remind you that all school districts in Texas are required to offer all students a path to accelerate by whole grades and in single subjects (not just math). We encourage you to learn about the acceleration policies and procedures your own district has in place that might benefit your child. Acceleration remains the most widely-supported academic intervention for gifted students and is well researched, but its benefits remain poorly understood by many school officials. For those parents who wish to learn more about full-grade acceleration, GEFN offers this free resource.
Gifted Education Family Network 