A RESOLUTION

 

1Directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to 
2conduct a study of the status of special education for gifted 
3students in this Commonwealth.

4WHEREAS, Section 1372 of the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30,
5No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, required the
6State Board of Education to adopt and prescribe standards and
7regulations for the proper education and training of all
8exceptional children, including children who are gifted; and

9WHEREAS, Chapter 16 of the Regulations of the State Board of
10Education specifies how this Commonwealth will meet its
11obligations to suspected and identified gifted students who
12require gifted education to reach their potential, and provides
13that it is the intent of the State Board of Education that
14gifted students be provided with quality gifted education
15services and programs; and

16WHEREAS, Chapter 16 of the Regulations of the State Board of
17Education further provides that the Commonwealth delegates

1operational responsibility for the provision of gifted education
2to its school districts, and requires each school district to
3provide the following:

4(1) services and programs planned, developed and
5operated for the identification and evaluation of each gifted
6student;

7(2) gifted education for each gifted student which is
8based on the unique needs of the student, not solely on the
9student's classification; and

10(3) gifted education for gifted students which enables
11them to participate in acceleration or enrichment programs,
12or both, as appropriate, and to receive services according to
13their intellectual abilities and needs;

14and

15WHEREAS, Approximately 75,000 of Pennsylvania's students are
16identified as gifted; therefore be it

17RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the
18Legislative Budget and Finance Committee<-, in consultation with 
19stakeholders, experts and parents of gifted students, to conduct
20a comprehensive study of the status of special education for
21gifted students in this Commonwealth; and be it further

22RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee
23identify all programs and services provided to gifted students
24pursuant to Chapter 16 of the Regulations of the State Board of
25Education, including, but not limited to, the following:

26(1) a description and assessment of the process by which
27students are identified as gifted;

28(2) a description and assessment of the process through
29which gifted individualized education plans are developed and
30implemented;

1(3) a description of the programs and services provided
2to gifted students;

3(4) a description of the entities that provide programs
4and services to gifted students;

5(5) the State and local costs of providing programs and
6services to gifted students;

7(6) a demographic breakdown of the students who benefit
8from programs and services provided to gifted students; and

9(7) recommendations for changes to law, regulation or
10policy that may be needed to improve special education for
11gifted children in this Commonwealth;

12and be it further

13RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee
14prepare a report of its findings and transmit copies of the
15report to the Education Committee of the House of
16Representatives no later than six months after adoption of this
17resolution.