A Brief on the Rationale For Serving All Students, Including Gifted Students
Addressing Issues of Equity, Equality and Economics
- This legislation would require all districts to teach all students, K-12, Creative Thinking Skills, Critical Thinking Skills, Inquiry Learning, Problem Solving and the Skills to Work Collaboratively. A deep research base, pointing to a positive impact on student achievement growth, supports the skills being taught for all students.
- This legislation responds to the persistent challenge facing Minnesota schools. The achievement gap has not moved. Recently, in Education Week report, Minnesota got a “C” rating. The article appeared in the September 5, 2018, Education Week, Quality Counts 2108: K-12 Achievement and Chance for Success, Grading the States.
- This legislation addresses the fact that less than a third of the districts in the state have gifted programs, despite the $13 PPU available in district to identify gifted students, to program for gifted students and provide teachers with the professional development to meet the needs of these students.
- This legislation impacts all students K-12, and includes Universal Screening, which tends to include more students of color and students not regularly included on gifted rosters.
- This legislation responds to the changing demographics facing Minnesota Schools. This school year, in Minnesota schools, students of color represented nearly one third of the student population in grades K-12. In three to five years that number will be half of the school population. Tim Strom, Legislative Analysis for the Minnesota legislature.
- This legislation responds to the changing workplace by preparing all students with the thinking skills needed to positively engage in the challenges presented by the automation of low-level work skills. School improvement efforts can benefit individuals’ earnings and balance state budgets, says Hanushek. “As the skills of today’s students improve, the skills of tomorrow’s workers advance. Realizing these gains does require a sustained commitment on the part of a state’s political leaders. But if we are to achieve prolonged economic growth in our nation, we have no choice but to strengthen the skills of all our people.”
- This legislation positively impacts student readiness for high stakes course work in high school, training programs and college. The skills that are included in this legislation are needed for tomorrow would be instilled in students, K-12.
- Why Triple Funding to $39PPU? As we began this effort we recognized that the $13 PPU had not incentivized districts to embrace the “May-Must” requirement. Too few districts had chosen to bring their gifted programs into reality. “May” does not work, but, “Must”, will. We also recognized that programming for an effective gifted program requires resources not always available in schools. The $13 PPU is not sufficient. $39 PPU will incentivize districts to bring gifted programming back. Along with the language of “Must”, comes an accountability system. Districts would be held accountable for delivering the expectations of this legislation.
Bill Keilty, Ed.D. 651 485 2108
Terry Friedrichs, Ph.D. and Ed.D. 612 859 9676
Innovate Instruction, Ignite Learning!