Gifted Education Hearings Loom In Pa.— Members of the House voted unanimously, last week, in support of a resolution that calls for a study of gifted education in school districts throughout Pennsylvania, reports State Rep. Jim Cox (R-129)
House Resolution 139 tasks the nonpartisan Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to conduct a comprehensive study of the process for identifying children as gifted; the process for developing and implementing gifted individualized education plans; the programs and services provided to gifted students; the cost of providing such programs and services; and a demographic breakdown of the children who benefit from such programs and services. The resolution directs the committee to report its findings to the House Education Committee this fall.
In addition to House action on gifted education, the speaker of the House this week appointed four House members to the new Special Education Funding Commission, formed as a result of Act 3 of 2013. The speaker appointed Representative Bernie O’Neill (R-Bucks County), Representative Michael Peifer (R-Monroe/Pike/Wayne counties), Representative Mike Sturla (D-Lancaster), and Representative Mark Longietti (D-Mercer County). Additional members of the commission include the majority and minority chairmen of the House and Senate Education committees, four members of the Senate, the secretaries of Education and Budget, and the deputy secretary for elementary and special education.
The commission will hold public hearings this summer to work to develop a new special education funding formula. It has until this fall to recommend a new funding formula to more effectively pay for special education throughout the state.