Dear Chairman Larry Taylor and the members of the Senate Education Committee:

We strongly urge you to oppose Senate Bill 2145 (relating to the public school finance system) that will come before you. This proposed bill seeks to REPEAL the Gifted and Talented Student Allotment. This issue directly impacts our children.

Gifted students from every cultural background see the world in unique ways and are developing minds that just might discover innovative answers to the most challenging questions of their generation. Being identified as gifted and talented is not a badge of honor, nor a reward for good behavior. It is an educational diagnosis requiring gifted program services for G/T students to reach their full potential. Supporting the academically under-challenged students in Texas is vital.

We are vehemently OPPOSED to the repeal to the G/T allotment listed on page 73 of SB 2145. The allotted funds directly impact the more than 400,000 students identified as gifted across the state of Texas and repealing those funds would be detrimental. G/T students need gifted education programs that will challenge and enrich them to make continuous progress. Our gifted learners need opportunities to be taught how to cultivate their strengths, to better understand and accept themselves, and to make positive contributions to the world.

In conclusion, we urge you to OPPOSE SB 2145 and continue to support the education of gifted students in Texas.