[Ohiogift] Commentary on proposed ODE standards

[Art Snyder]

 Friends:

A reminder here: Please note that in Ann Sheldon's message from Wednesday (copied below), the ODE says that they have a deadline of Sept. 20 for public comment. (This point is in the first paragraph of the message copied below, and I have bolded and underlined the text.)

Be sure to get your comments to all on time. The future really does depend on our response.

Thanks,
Art Snyder

===========================================

  Everyone:
 
 We need to bury ODE with comments. (See their announcement and contact information, below.) Also, I will need a few people to write letters to the editor. Email me for details. Here are some talking points for letters to ODE, Board members, and to newspaper editors:
 
 *Districts ignore the law and don't identify or serve gifted students with integrity.
 
 *Superintendents, boards, and treasurers want to take money meant to help gifted kids and waste it on administration and other non-instruction boondoggles.
 
 *ODE didn't bother to follow the law for 8 years and did not no gifted audits. It now does a slipshod job now auditing districts' ID practices so almost 10% of districts don't even get a report card grade for gifted progress. (There is evidence that ODE never even bothered to look at identification practices as part of many audits.
 
 *Now the first evidence of how poorly gifted children are served in this state is out and the ODE's response is to gut all accountability for gifted funding and service for gifted students. And who's cheering them on? The very people taxpayers are supposed to trust to do the right thing: school board members, superintendents and other administrators. 
 
 *Taxpayers should be outraged that schools districts are not only free to ignore students and misspend taxpayer dollars, but that the Ohio Department of Education is leading this war on children in order to get district bureaucrats off the hook for doing such a poor job with these kids.
  
     
  Ann Sheldon
 anngift at aol.com
  
                        To:         School board members, superintendents, treasurers and other school business officials
     
     From:    Damon Asbury, OSBA — (614) 540-4000
                  Tom Ash, BASA — (614) 846-4080
                  Barbara Shaner, OASBO — (614) 325-9562
     
     Date:    Sept. 10, 2013
     
     Re:       New Operating Standards for Gifted Education – School District Comments Needed!
                 Talking Points & Background Below
     
     The State Board of Education is considering new rules for the Ohio  Administrative Code (OAC) that would spell out operating standards for  gifted education in public school districts. The proposed (draft)  standards are posted on the Ohio Department of Education  (ODE) website and are open for public comment — between now and Sept. 20.  As school district representatives charged with serving all students in  your district, including those identified as gifted, your input is  needed. Please provide feedback  to ODE and members of the State Board of Education.
     
     Following are talking points on the proposed new gifted education operating standards:
     
     • The proposed rule would require two new whole grade-screening requirements  under the District identification plan section in OAC 3301-51-15  (C)(2)(b)(iii). This represents an additional administrative burden and  financial cost to districts  over previous identification requirements. While the new funding  formula includes some per-pupil funding for gifted student  identification, it is unclear whether they will be sufficient to cover  the cost of the new requirements for gifted identification and  assessment. 
     
     The State Board must continue to evaluate the cost to districts for the identification and ongoing assessment requirements for gifted students, and recommend state funding accordingly.
     
     • The draft operating standards for serving students identified as  gifted will allow districts the flexibility necessary to best meet the  needs of students locally. The proposal recognizes that multiple  appropriate options for such services should be available.  Districts need the flexibility to best use the resources available for  all their students. 
     
     • The State Board’s authority to adopt rules and operating standards is  limited to that which appears in the Ohio Revised Code. Any additional  restrictions on spending funds for gifted education should be opposed. 
     
     The State Board should adopt the rules for gifted services as proposed by ODE staff.
     
     Note: ODE staff presented the proposed (draft) rules for consideration  to the State Board at its meeting yesterday. Several board members  indicated they have already heard from many gifted education advocates  expressing opposition to the draft and requesting that the standards be more prescriptive. State Board members need to hear from school district leaders.
     
     Important Links:
     Click here to view the proposed rules:  http://1.usa.gov/18MH22i
     Click here to send comments to ODE:  gifted at education.ohio.gov
     Click here for a list of State Board members and their contact information:  State Board Members
     Click here for a report of the State Board’s discussion:  Gongwer Article
     
     Background:
     House Bill 59, the biennial budget bill as passed by the General  Assembly, included specific spending requirements for state funding for  gifted education. However, Gov. John Kasich vetoed the spending  requirements for gifted funds from the bill. As a result,  the State Board’s authority in establishing the new gifted education  operating standards is limited to the provisions as written in the final  “vetoed” version of the bill. Since no spending requirements for  serving gifted students are authorized by law, the  operating standards should not require specific uses for these funds.  School districts should be permitted to choose the best method for  serving their gifted students locally.
     
     We must urge the State Board of Education NOT to recommend the  adoption of operating standards for serving gifted students that go  beyond this authority!
     
     Our three organizations understand the need for gifted students to be  served. We support the notion that all students, no matter what their  ability, be given the opportunity to make appropriate academic progress  each year. However, school districts must have  the flexibility to serve all their students in a way that best meets  their own community’s needs, particularly when many districts are still  struggling financially. Generally, funding for education in the new  budget was increased, but the new funding formula  is not fully funded and districts must make choices about the best use  of resources.
     
             
     Ohio School Boards Association
     8050 N. High Street, Suite 100
     Columbus, OH 43235
     (614) 540-4000

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