CEC Policy Insider

Senate Committee Votes to Eliminate Dedicated Funding for Gifted and Talented Education; Congressmen Rebuff Elimination Attempts in Letter to House of Representatives

Today, the Senate Appropriations Committee – the policy making body tasked with deciding how to spend federal monies in the Senate – voted to eliminate the only dedicated funding stream focused on high-ability, low-income students.     While this is a significant setback in the annual Congressional funding process, CEC now turns its advocacy attention to the House of Representatives where two Congressmen are leading the effort to oppose eliminating gifted education funding. 

Senate Appropriations Committee Approves Increases in Funding for IDEA B and C

The topsy-turvy Congressional budget season continues. At almost the 11th hour in a vote backing right up to recess, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved an increase in IDEA Part B funding of $420 million dollars and - somewhat more surprisingly – it approved an increase in IDEA Part C funding of $20 million dollars.

Contact Your Senators Now to Save Gifted Education Funding! Our Deadline is 2:30 p.m.

Today at 2:30 p.m. (EST), the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee will vote to eliminate or reinstate the Javits Gifted and Talented Education program, the only federally funded gifted program.
Without the Javits program, there will be no federal funds directed toward gifted education.
We need your help NOW! Please contact your Senators through CEC’s Legislative Action Center.  Making the call is easy – CEC provides contact information, talking points and a feedback form.

CEC ACTION ALERT: GIFTED ED FUNDING ON VERGE OF ELIMINATION

In the last two weeks, the House AND Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Education have voted to ELIMINATE funding for the Javits Gifted and Talented Education program, the only federal investment in gifted education. 
 
Tomorrow, Thursday (7/29), the full Senate Committee will determine whether to accept the Subcommittee's recommendation of elimination. 
 
Elimination of the Javits program will result in the loss of identifying best practices and closure of the National Research Center on Gifted Education.

Congress Fails to Pass Money for Education Jobs

After weeks of lobbying by educators from across the nation, and despite record layoffs occurring all over the nation, Congress failed to pass emergency funding for education jobs.  Although the House of Representatives had passed $10 billion to save educator jobs earlier this month, the measure failed to gain support in the Senate.
Needing 60 votes, Senate Democrats last week failed to muster even a simple majority for the $10 billion already approved by the House. CEC and its members had worked tirelessly with other education organizations trying to convince Congress of the real need for this money and how the absence of federal support will force many to enlarge class sizes, offer fewer courses, and fewer school days.