An Important Message from the Michigan Association for Gifted Children

February 28, 2013

Dear Families with Gifted and Talented Children and Youth in Michigan:

A joint meeting of the House Appropriations and Education Committees is taking place next Wednesday in Lansing at the State Capitol Building to discuss allocations for the State Aid Act that funds education in Michigan.

Since there is no funding for gifted education in Michigan, only children whose families can afford private gifted schools or those fortunate enough to reside in the few school districts that offer gifted programs receive an education commensurate with their abilities.

The Michigan Association for Gifted Children (MAGC) asked the House Appropriations and Education Committees to approve an allocation of 1% of the Michigan education budget for gifted students.  The money would ensure:

• Teacher training in gifted education for public school teachers
• The development, implementation, and assessment of gifted and talented programs that take place during the school day for gifted and talented students
• High quality gifted and talented materials, resources, programs and services for gifted students in grades K-12.

The “live email links” to members of the MI House Appropriations and Education Committees are listed below.  Please contact them immediately and let them know how much the 1% allocation would mean to your own and other gifted children. Briefly, share your stories with them; tell them what it has been like for your children and families without access to gifted education.

In addition, please ask family members, friends, teachers, and administrators to do the same. Every person you know, who is 18 years of age and older—including different members of the same household, can and should send a separate communication—because each person is a separate constituent.  This increases the number of letters legislators receive and therefore multiplies and underscores the importance and urgency of this issue.

Together we CAN change the future for gifted children in Michigan!

With Appreciation,

The Michigan Association for Gifted Children, Advocacy Committee
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Just “click on the names below” and reach as many committee members as you want to support gifted education.

House Education Committee Members:

Lisa Posthumus Lyons (R) Committee Chair, 86th District
Ray Franz (R) Majority Vice-Chair, 101st District
Hugh D. Crawford (R) 38th District
Kevin Daley (R) 82nd District
Bob Genetski (R) 80th District
Pete Lund (R) 36th District
Tom McMillin (R) 45th District
Tom Hooker (R) 77th District
Bradford Jacobsen (R) 46th District
Amanda Price (R) 89th District
Ken Yonker (R) 72nd District
Ellen Lipton (D) Minority Vice-Chair, 27th District
David Knezek (D) 11st District
Winnie Brinks (D) 76th District
Thomas Stallworth (D) 7th District
Collene Lamonte (D) 91st District
Theresa Abed (D) 71st District
Ben Cook, Committee Clerk, 517.373-2002

House Appropriations Committee Members:

Joe Haveman (R) Committee Chair, 90th District
Al Pscholka (R) Majority Vice-Chair, 79th District
Eileen Kowall (R) 44th District
Matt Lori (R) 59th District
Bill Rogers (R) 42nd District
John Walsh (R) 19th District
Jon Bumstead (R) 100th District
Anthony Forlini (R) 24th District
Peter MacGregor (R) 73rd District
Greg MacMaster (R) 105th District
Nancy Jenkins (R) 57th District
Paul Muxlow (R) 83rd District
Earl Poleski (R) 64th District
Phil Potvin (R) 102nd District
Michael McCready (R) 40th District
Martin Howrylak (R) 41st District
Rob VerHeulen (R) 74th District
Rashida Tlaib (D) Minority Vice-Chair, 6th District
Terry Brown (D) 84th District
Fred Durhal (D) 5th District
Sean McCann (D) 60th District
Brandon Dillon (D) 75th District
Sarah Roberts (D) 18th District
Andrew Kandrevas (D) 13rd District
Pam Faris (D) 48th District
Adam Zemke (D) 55th District
Sam Singh (D) 69th District

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Ben Williams, Jr., Committee Clerk, 517-373-1988