Sample Contact Letter

February 8, 2011 by David Berg

Parents and Friends of Highly Capable Children – We now need your help to save your child’s highly capable education for the next two school years, 2011-13.

Two proposals from the Governor would eliminate all Highly Capable Program (HCP) funding for this period. Meanwhile, the Governor has proposed increasing funds for other education programs during 2011-13. We’re asking the Legislature for equal treatment: Education programs must be funded equitably and proportionally. These are basic education dollars for highly capable students and programs.  The mistaken perception that gifted kids are all upper-class, white, hardship-free, and disability-free has created an image hurdle for us in the Legislature. If your family’s story can balance any piece of that image, please include it!

We urge you to contact your legislators by Friday, February 11 – Gifted Education Day in Olympia. Two sample letters are below.

Remember to address emails, sign your name, and add your child’s story.

Please contact:

1. Your own legislators. Find them here: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/Default.aspx

2. Senator Ed Murray, Chair of the Senate Ways & Means Committee: murray.edward@leg.wa.gov

3. Senator Rosemary McAuliffe, chair of the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Committee. mcauliffe.rosemary@leg.wa.gov

4. Jill Satran, the Governor’s deputy chief of staff. We need to push back on the Governor!jill.satran@gov.wa.gov

Thank you! Your efforts to save HCP funding for the current school year have been working – now let’s do the same for the 2011-12 and 2012-13 school years!

(please see post for more details)