The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) is soliciting public comment on the Maryland application for federal "Race to the Top" education funding.  Please take a moment now to urge that the Maryland Race to the Top application include EXPLICIT provisions for advanced/gifted and talented students.

Information on the four priorities in “Maryland’s Vision for reform” and instructions on how to submit comments can be found at http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/programs/race_to_the_top/ .  Every one of the 4 aspects of "Maryland's vision for reform" should include EXPLICIT provisions for advanced/gifted and talented students, including ADVANCED level standards, curriculum and assessments.

Assuring that "all graduates are college-and career-ready" does NOT translate into appropriate provisions for GT students.

Public comments are due March 15.

It is important that MSDE receive a large number of comments from citizens and organizations across the state asking that the Maryland’s proposal include explicit provisions for GT students.

The number of letters received on behalf of gifted and talented (GT) education will be an indicator to MSDE of the interest in GT education across the state and is likely to affect not only the Race to the Top application but also other initiatives as well.  A number of Montgomery County citizens wrote a year ago in support of the COMAR GT Education Specialist.  These comments and others from around the state were very important in the eventual adoption of the COMAR GT Education Specialist into law.
Please write now to show MSDE that interest in meeting the needs of gifted and talented students is high among both organizations and individuals in Maryland.