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.