Dear Prufrock Press Customer,
Last week, I wrote to you about the National Association for Gifted Children's call for "emergency" action to save federal funding for gifted education. I am writing you today to give you an update on the situation and let you know that additional action is needed.
It is my great pleasure to inform you that our calls and e-mails to Congress helped change the minds of the U.S. House Appropriations committee. During the final hours of negotiation, Committee Chairman David Obey (WI-7) included money for the Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Act in the "manager's amendment," which restored funds to the program that had been eliminated in an earlier version of the bill.
This was a great "win" for gifted children because the Javits Act is the sole federal program that focuses on the learning needs of gifted and talented students. As a grassroots community, the parents and teachers of gifted children spoke up and influenced the U.S. House of Representatives.
However, our work has not ended. We still need to secure funding for the program from the U.S. Senate. The first step in the Senate will be consideration of the Javits program by the appropriations subcommittee on Labor/HHS/Education, which meets on Tuesday, July 28, to craft its 2010 bill.
If you wish to help, please act before next Tuesday, July 28th.
The National Association for Gifted Children has prepared a very helpful "guide to action" <
http://www.nagc.org/index.aspx?id=5020> that outlines specific steps you can take to encourage your state's senator to support this important funding. Please visit this link and review the quick steps you can take to support federal funding for gifted education.
Please keep in mind that you must act by July 28th.
Thank you for considering this request.
Joel McIntosh, Publisher
Prufrock Press Inc.
