A proposal to encourage gifted middle school students to take high school classes was approved by the Senate Education Committee Monday. The proposal from Rep. Tom Trail, R-Moscow, would help gifted students start their high school transcript before entering ninth grade. It would require that if they complete a high school course with at least a “C” grade, that course would be added to their transcript and could count toward their grade point average (GPA). Trail said he got the idea for the legislation from someone in his district who couldn’t use an ‘A’ on his high school transcript from a class taken before entering high school.
Sen. Monty Pearce, R-New Plymouth, asked how the proposal fits in with the proposed Mastery Advancement Pilot Project (MAPP). Trail said he spoke with Reps. Branden Durst, D-Boise, and Steven Thayn, R-Emmett, about his proposal. “They felt also that this would complement their proposal and provide an incentive for some of those very bright students,” Trail said.
The House approved Trail’s proposal March 1 on a 68-0 vote. It now heads to the Senate for another vote. The MAPP legislation is also facing a Senate vote. The text of Trail’s legislation is available here.
Way to go Representative Trail! As a past ITAG President and a current Gifted and Talented Coordinator I applaud your efforts!
FINALLY! A state doing something that makes perfect sense for gifted students in this country. Public schools already cater to the “best of the best” when it comes to athletics. It’s about time the intellectual “varsity” amongst our students is nurtured and supported as much as the physical “varsity.”
Students who are Gifted and Talented are the LEAST represented group of students and yet some of the most important to the advancement of our nation in scientific research and math achievement. WE MUST do whatever we can to help these students reach their highest potential! Way to go representative Trail, keep up the good work!
We have been waiting for action for a long time that would remove roadblocks in public education for our brightest. This is such good news. It did not make sense that gifted students in the past had to fight to try to move forward at their appropriate pace.
[...] Read IdahoReporter.com’s first story on the proposal here. The legislation now heads to the governor’s desk. The text of the legislation is available here. [...]
This is needed legislation that will open the doors of higher learning to our students. Thanks you so much for helping our brightest students find ways to achieve their potentials.