2019 WCGTC World Conference

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2.5.3 Tips for Advocating for Gifted Education: Strategy Suggestions from One State Nonprofit Organization

Advocacy at the school, district, state, and federal levels is important for building, maintaining, and protecting programs and policies for gifted education. The Iowa Talented and Gifted Association (ITAG), a statewide nonprofit organization, has navigated the advocacy waters successfully to secure and protect funding, a mandate to provide gifted education, and a position at the state department for a full-time consultant for gifted and talented education. We also have worked with federal legislators to support gifted education initiatives in the Javits Act and The Elementary and Secondary Education Act. ITAG will share its advocacy strategies which have resulted in positive outcomes for gifted education.

Author(s):

Catherine Blando
iablando@mchsi.com
Blando and Associates Consulting; Iowa Talented and Gifted Association Board Member
United States

   

Catherine Blando was Program Administrator for Curriculum and for Academic Talent Search at the Belin-Blank Center, College of Education, The University of Iowa. Her background includes teaching in Illinois, with time spent as a Resource Teacher and Coordinator for Gifted Education. For 21 years she was employed by Grant Wood Area Education Agency (AEA) as Consultant for Gifted Education. As an AEA consultant she worked with school district personnel across Iowa and beyond as they developed, delivered, and evaluated their gifted education programs. In that capacity. she regularly provided professional development training. She currently operates her own consulting business.

Maureen Marron
maureen.marron.ia@gmail.com
Iowa Talented and Gifted Association
United States

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Maureen Marron is Executive Director of the Iowa Talented and Gifted Association. In this position, she coordinates the statewide effort to protect gifted funding in Iowa and works with the board of directors on outreach and professional development opportunities. From 2007-2013, she was an postdoctoral research scholar and then an associate research scientist at the Belin-Blank Center’s Institute for Research and Policy on Acceleration, during which time she worked on acceleration policy and co-published articles on academic acceleration. She received a BS in psychology from the University of Oregon and a PhD in cognitive psychology from the University of Pittsburgh.

Brett Monnard
brettmonnard@hotmail.com
Davenport Community School District (and board member for Iowa Talented and Gifted Association)
United States

   

Brett has been a gifted facilitator in a diverse school district for the past eight years. He has presented on topics including advocacy, integrating popular culture into the curriculum, and social-emotional needs at his state conference, and currently sits on the Iowa Talented and Gifted board, serving on the Legislative Advocacy Committee.

 



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