NAGC Statement on House Legislation Eliminating Federal Javits Funding
In their rationale for eliminating Javits grant funding, House Republicans stated, “The [Appropriations] Committee is concerned that the Department [of Education’s] focus on equity within gifted and talented programs further divides American students and leaves them less prepared to compete in a challenging global economy. The Committee believes gifted and talented programs should be merit based.”
If Congress is serious about ensuring gifted and talented children are truly prepared to compete in the global economy, it will fund Javits at historic levels and acknowledge that merit and equity are not mutually exclusive. NAGC believes the more gifted and talented children our schools can identify and serve, the stronger our country will be. All children should have opportunities and support to realize their full potential. A child with gifts and talents that go unrealized because of their socioeconomic status or zip code is counterproductive to our country’s interests.
NAGC calls on the U.S. Senate to reject these disturbing cuts that will only harm our nation’s gifted and talented children.
Opportunity for Advocates to Take Action Today!
NAGC, in conjunction with the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), is asking advocates to take action and send messages to their members of Congress, asking them to oppose this drastic cut to Javits.
