<font color='black' size='2' face='arial'>The State Board of Education Achievement
Committee has been discussing gifted operating standards now for over
three years. The latest draft can be found at <a href="http://www.oagc.com/files/November%20Achievement%20Committee%20Board%20Book_111516.pdf">http://www.oagc.com/files/November%20Achievement%20Committee%20Board%20Book_111516.pdf</a>.
Amendments cited in the comments section are those that were largely
agreed to by the committee in October. The proposed amendments at the
end of the document will be discussed at the November meeting. It was
hoped that the standards would be finally voted out and put on the
December full board agenda for an intent to adopt<strong><em>. However, at the 11<sup>th</sup> hour, there is a movement to delay the standards indefinitely.</em></strong> The education management groups have written a <a href="http://www.oagc.com/files/Gifted%20operating%20standards%20OSBA%20letter.pdf">letter</a>
to all board members asking the board to delay the process in order to
do a fiscal analysis of the changes. This is an unwarranted request on
several levels. First, districts are not mandated to serve gifted
students so there is really no need to do a fiscal analysis. Second,
districts receive gifted funding which ODE has decided does not need to
be spent on gifted students. And, third, this rule backs off many of the
ratios and standards that are currently in place and provides an
abundance of flexibility for districts to experiment with new ways to
serve gifted students. OAGC’s full response to the letter can be
accessed <a href="http://www.oagc.com/files/OAGC%20Response%20to%20the%20Education%20Management%20Letter.11.11.16.pdf">here</a>.
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<div>Please reach out to achievement committee members to urge their
support for the draft of the operating standards with (at least) the
October amendments them and to vote the standards out of the achievement
committee this month. Your message should be short and sweet:</div>
<ol><li>This standards process has gone on for almost four years now. It is time to move forward.</li><li>The current draft with suggested amendments has been discussed
thoroughly with ample time for input. It is a set of standards that has
been built upon by consensus of the committee <strong><em>with no objections from any member up to this point</em></strong>.
These standards will provide direction to districts for the upcoming
years while the gifted advisory council works to ensure that any
remaining issues are resolved in that stakeholder process.</li><li>Superintendents, administrators gave months of testimony to the
full board. They have called first and foremost for clear direction from
the board. They also called for flexibility which is provided in great
measure in this draft. Gifted students, gifted staff, and district staff
cannot continue to work in a state of limbo. These standards need to be
passed now so that districts can prepare for next year</li></ol>
<div>Please add any additional thoughts you might have.</div>
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<div>Address your emails to “Chair Vazquez-Skillings and members of the
achievement committee.” The nine committee member board addresses are:<a href="mailto:rebecca.vazquez-skillings@education.ohio.gov"> rebecca.vazquez-skillings@education.ohio.gov</a>, <a href="mailto:melanie.bolender@education.ohio.gov">melanie.bolender@education.ohio.gov</a>,<a href="mailto:Pat.Bruns@education.ohio.gov"> Pat.Bruns@education.ohio.gov</a>,<a href="mailto:Stephanie.Dodd@education.ohio.gov">Stephanie.Dodd@education.ohio.gov</a>, <a href="mailto:Joe.Farmer@education.ohio.gov">Joe.Farmer@education.ohio.gov</a>,<a href="mailto:Nancy.Hollister@education.ohio.gov">Nancy.Hollister@education.ohio.gov</a>,<a href="mailto:ann.jacobs@education.ohio.gov">ann.jacobs@education.ohio.gov</a>, <a href="mailto:jones.todd@education.ohio.gov">jones.todd@education.ohio.gov</a>,<a href="mailto:ron.rudduck@education.ohio.gov">ron.rudduck@education.ohio.gov</a></div>
<div><a href="mailto:ron.rudduck@education.ohio.gov"><br>
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<div>CC the rest of the board members:</div>
<div><a href="mailto:Tom.gunlock@education.ohio.gov">Tom.gunlock@education.ohio.gov</a>,<a href="mailto:michael.Collins@education.ohio.gov">michael.Collins@education.ohio.gov</a>,<a href="mailto:AJ.Wagner@education.ohio.gov">AJ.Wagner@education.ohio.gov</a>, <a href="mailto:kathleen.mcgervey@education.ohio.gov">kathleen.mcgervey@education.ohio.gov</a>,<a href="mailto:maryrose.oakar@education.ohio.gov">maryrose.oakar@education.ohio.gov</a>, <a href="mailto:Roslyn.Painter-Goffi@education.ohio.gov">Roslyn.Painter-Goffi@education.ohio.gov</a>,<a href="mailto:Frank.Pettigrew@education.ohio.gov">Frank.Pettigrew@education.ohio.gov</a>,<a href="mailto:ElshoffTess@education.ohio.gov">ElshoffTess@education.ohio.gov</a>,<a href="mailto:cathye.flory@education.ohio.gov"> cathye.flory@education.ohio.gov</a>,<a href="mailto:sarah.fowler@education.ohio.gov">sarah.fowler@education.ohio.gov</a></div>
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