How to Talk to Your Kids about Budget Threats to Highly Capable Education

Times are tough.  Many of you may have read about the Governor’s proposal to

eliminate state highly capable education funding in the next two-year budget

(starting July 1, 2011).  Your children may have, also.  As concerned parents, we

have put together this set of talking points to help you navigate your children’s

(and possibly your own) reaction to these discussions, both in the media and in

their own school communities.  We welcome feedback and thoughts on how to

discuss these issues with kids.  Highly capable children often have a heightened

sense of empathy and may need special emotional support as they may feel a

deep personal connection to the specific impacts of these proposed budget cuts

to their unique educational needs, as well as the economic recession in general.

When children have been through a parent’s job loss or other direct impacts to

their family from the recession, the thought of losing their school situation can be

even more challenging.

Suggested steps:

1) As the adult, get all of the facts.  The budget situation this year is

especially complex.  There has already been one supplemental budget

adopted during the recent special session.  There are negotiations

underway in preparation for a likely second supplemental budget in early

January to make additional cuts to balance the 2010 budget.  There is a

separate discussion now beginning for the regular budget covering the

2011 – 2013 biennium.  Stay apprised by joining the Washington Coalition

for Gifted Education email list (contact  wagifted@earthlink.net to

subscribe, or become a fan of WCGE on Facebook at

www.facebook.com/wagifted), and joining email lists of parent

organizations concerned about these issues.  Especially for older children

(middle, high school), you can discuss the facts with them to make sure

they have the whole picture.  District budgets AND the state budget are

important, so the debate will play out in two places.  And, every District is

impacted differently by any state cuts, although the huge cuts to K-12

overall mean that every District’s own investment in highly capable funding

is especially at-risk this year.

2) Make sure your student advisors have the facts.  You can share

information with your school administration and teachers for them to be

able to appropriately guide and support children so that they do NOT feel

alone in this process.

3) Let children know that many people care about them and are doing

everything that they can to ensure they continue to receive the education

they need.  Talk about the challenges of the overall economy and how

government is facing challenges just like other sectors are.  Let them

know that elected leaders have choices in balancing the budget, and how

people are working to encourage them to support these students’

education.

4) Do not assume.  Don’t assume that your child wants more information

than s/he is asking for.  Answer direct questions, as straightforwardly and

factually as you can.  This is particularly true for many younger kids.

Giving more information and too frequently can create more anxiety.  Your

child may need time to process the information you provide before they

come back with more questions.

5) If your child is interested in the political process, and feels very

strongly about making his/her feelings known to elected officials, it is

appropriate to encourage action.  Here are some specific things kids CAN

do:

a. High School:  Form or join a student union for highly capable

kids.  (Garfield HS model)

b. Middle and Elementary:  If you can, address the student

councils at your schools – getting them all of the facts that are

appropriate for their age group.

c. Gifted Education Day:  There will be lobby day on Feb. 11,

sponsored by the Washington Coalition for Gifted Education.  Sign

yourself and your child up!  Schedule an appointment with your

representatives and go to Olympia.  Legislators like to hear from

real people about the impact of policy decisions.  Be sure to

understand the key message that all groups supporting highly

capable children are reiterating:  Basic education for a highly

capable child is in a highly capable program.  Eliminating funding

erroneously ignores these unique needs and assumes that highly

capable education programs are an add-on and that these kids will

somehow teach themselves and succeed without support and

challenge.

d. Write letters to the editor together.  Look at the National

Association for Gifted Children’s website

for talking points abouthow to advocate for gifted kids.  It’s important to use messages that

resonate with legislators and elected leaders.

e. Meet with your school board members.  In many districts, the

district invests more local money in highly capable programming

than is received from the state.  You can and should encourage

your kids to talk with board members about why District investment

(if it exists) is not an ‘add on’ but rather critical for their learning

success.  School board members may or may not support highly

capable funding, but they need to hear from parents and students

regularly about the needs of highly capable kids.  And the risks of

not addressing them.

f.  Sign the petition that parents will be sharing with legislators.  If

you feel it is appropriate, give your child the option to sign, as well.

http://www.petitiononline.com/budgcuts/petition.html

6) Don’t play the victim.  As frustrating as all of this is, it’s important to

support kids in their empowerment.  Remember that this may be a long

process.  There may be cuts.  Prepare yourself by talking at a family

meeting about how changes happen in life, and the best ways to deal with

them.   Try to make a plan of action as best you can as a family to address

how you will ensure that your own child’s needs will be met if there are

indeed cuts that impact your district.  And, don’t give up.  Continuing to

organize with other parents will ensure that there will be an ongoing voice

for the needs of highly capable learners in your own District over time.

Help your student to understand that you will ensure that they remain

connected to their school community, in whatever form that takes in the

future.

7) Children who are acutely aware:   If your child is experiencing anxiety

that is significant, seek advice of your teacher, school counselor, or an

outside professional.  You can also find good resources on the social and

emotional needs of the gifted at  http://www.seng.org.   If your child wants

to discuss the situation every day, consider reserving one day a week for

discussion, or just critical ‘decision’ times – such as when the legislature

makes an update to the budget or there is a school board meeting.  For

children who have been through several educational transitions (as many

of our kids have as we sought the right situation for them, or as our

districts have made prior decisions that have impacted them), do remind

them that they are ok, and that they will be ok.  Changes are hard, but

people can get through them.

8) And, above all, remember that there are lots of people who care about

your children, including other parents, teachers, counselors, state

legislators, school superintendents, board members, counselors and

members of the community.  And, with a strong movement across the

state, we can make a difference.