I agree in principle that Florida doesn't really mandate services, although like many states it doesn't look too bad on paper.
I looked back at the state gifted rules (6A-6.03019 AND 6a-6.030191, Florida Administrative Code) and they have a procedure to identify gifted students and mandate the development of an Education Plan (EP). Actual procedures are determined at the District level, but the state regulation specifically requires the EP to include a statement of goals, specific instruction for the student, progress reports along with when and where. The state rules also specifically require parental participation in the development and review of the EP.
Implementation of such regulations is where the rubber hits the road. None of the things I described above, guarantee that the parent's opinion actually caries much weight.
I don't know the details of how the funding works out, but my understanding is that gifted services in FL are funded under Exceptional Student Education (ESE), so the bulk of the focus is on the students at the other end of the bell curve.
The way things look right now in most of FL, funding of just about everything outside of regular classrooms has no guarantees (except the governor's pet project - newly enacted PE requirements). At least one nearby school district has eliminated on site school nurses in favor of a rotating schedule. I'm glad my kid doesn't have a potentially life threatening allergy or chronic condition with no medical professional located on the school grounds.
As I mentioned before my District policies specifically reference acceleration as a gifted education option. Yet no one at our school had done it, and comments from parents and teachers have been emphatic that it won't be considered.
But back to Coach's question. I think the mandate for gifted programming is only part of the question. There is also the issue of arbitrarily terminating an existing arrangement, which was probably part of an approved EP, with essentially no notice. My concerns have more do to with the alteration in the educational options for his child, including depriving him of one that has been in place and apparently has been working for his child.
What options would anyone else on the board have if their school sent home a note on the last day of school that their child's educational accomodations were being eliminated effective the start of the next school year? There is a difference between having mandate for gifted education options and having worked something out, however tenuous, and having it yanked away.
