To the Superintendent Selection Committee of Madison Metropolitan Schools

via email (with an opportunity to sign on below):

As you make your selection for the next Superintendent of MMSD, we ask you to choose a candidate that will be able to address the needs of all students, including those of gifted and talented (GT) students. We strongly urge you to hire a candidate that is knowledgeable of and open to the special needs of gifted learners.

The following are reasons this is necessary. References for these points are attached.

Approximately 1 out of every 5 drop-outs is gifted.

Giftedness occurs in all racial and socioeconomic groups. It is short-sighted to ignore the needs of the gifted as we increase in low-income enrollment, and creates even more disparity as those who have resources have other choices.

The statistics for Madison's gifted low-income and minority student drop-outs may be significantly higher than 1 out of 5.

GT students may learn poorly when taught at standard grade level and rate.

It may be thought that the experience of gifted in heterogeneous classrooms is that of the pleasure of excelling above everyone. However, as one GT teacher at Appleton's gifted school observed, it is the experience of a 5th grader whose teacher inexplicably teaches 1st grade curriculum.

Children who are highly gifted have special needs, academically and emotionally, and that should be recognized. Some states, such as New Mexico, give children at both ends of the academic bell curve IEPs.

Gifted children do not automatically “make it anyway”.

In the past 5 years, MMSD TAG staff has been cut by more than half, while other Teaching and Learning Department allocations have increased.

The student to TAG staff ratio in all neighboring districts is at least 4 times better than MMSD’s.

MMSD student enrollment has decreased and enrollment in all neighboring districts has increased. Many of us know families that have left for more challenging academics and school choice (“Bright Flight”).

MMSD spends nearly $14,000 per student. Edgewood Schools’ tuition is approximately $6000/student. Even if that figure is doubled to allow for resources for other children with special needs, there should still be enough for gifted education as well if it is valued.

Many other cities have gifted charters, or at least gifted programming. Janesville, Appleton, and Milwaukee are Wisconsin examples. Why do we not have gifted programming in Madison?

We need a superintendent who is specifically knowledgeable in the needs of the gifted to be able to support “best practices” from GT research.

All children deserve and should be entitled to learn at their level and speed. Our children should not be used for philosophical or political purposes.

The field of education seems particularly susceptible to cycles of philosophy and those in charge often adhere religiously to particular dogma. We need a moderate superintendent, open to parental choices and alternatives and the needs of all students. He or she should be able to recognize that for some, the neighborhood school is best, heterogeneous classes are the best, and for others, a charter school specializing in a high degree of challenge is needed.

We need to think about the future and think globally.

Thank you for your consideration,
Sincerely,

Bonnie

"To sign on to this letter, please email pbe@terracom.net and write "Letter Sign On" in the subject."

Posted by Jim Zellmer at January 13, 2008 1:12 PM
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