Creating an Advocacy Plan

By: Carolyn Bellotti

Volusia County Gifted Programming Satisfaction Survey Results: Part 1

Rate your level of satisfaction with the procedures in place in Volusia County for each of the following categories:

Average Satisfaction Rating (1-5)

Admission to gifted programs 2.64

Meeting the social and emotional needs of gifted 2.82

Nurturing giftedness 2.91

Fostering academic creativity 3.09

Serving gifted children with learning disabilities 2.60

Differentiating curriculum 3.18

Modifying curriculum 3.18

Grade acceleration 2.82

Quality of gifted teachers 3.45

Volusia County Gifted Programming Satisfaction Survey Results: Part 2

Participants chose whether they agreed, disagreed, or were neutral about the following statements.

Percentage of Agreement

Volusia County engages in an ongoing effort to identify and locate students under their jurisdiction who may be gifted and who need specialized educational services.

63.64%

Volusia County gifted services offer equal opportunities to participate regardless of age, disability, gender, national origin, race, or color.

81.82%

Volusia County offers a free and appropriate public education to gifted students.

90.91%

Volusia County offers appropriate funding to support gifted services.

54.55%

Volusia County offers top quality programs for every gifted and talented child.

54.55%

Volusia County Gifted Programming Satisfaction Survey Results: Part 2Question 5: Describe your overall satisfaction with the

gifted services available in Volusia County.

“Students are being placed in gifted program that are not truly gifted-these students compromise the integrity of the entire program.”

“This program needs more regulations on gifted acceptance for students, funding, and more options for gifted endorsement classes.”

“The main challenge to the gifted program is the pressure to adhere to the curriculum guide and the standards driven movement. “

Volusia County Gifted Programming Satisfaction Survey Results

STRENGTHS IDENTIFIED WEAKNESSES IDENTIFIED

0 Quality of gifted teachers

0 Differentiating and modifying curriculum

0 Free and appropriate public education

0 Equal opportunities to participate

0 Admission to gifted programs

0 Serving gifted children with learning disabilities

0 Funding to support gifted services

0 Offering top quality programs

Why do gifted students need advocates?

0 Advocates give support to a cause or take a public position on an issue.

0 They work to encourage change

0 Gifted children have very limited protections under state and federal laws and often need effective groups of advocates to bring attention to their unique learning requirements

Effective Group Advocacy

KnowledgeableOrganizedDefined GoalsUnderstands the School SystemCommitted

PersistentPatient

Systematic Advocacy• Find out about the current programs in place in your

district and determine what should happen to improve them.

Needs Assessment

• Make a plan for what should be done, who is responsible, and a timeline to accomplish it.Planning

• Present your requests to decision makers informally or formally.Contact

• Evaluate effectiveness and determine next steps. Follow Up and

Evaluation

Components of Successful Parent Advocacy Groups

Focus on a Mission and Sense of Purpose

Call a Meeting for Parents, Business Leaders, and School Professionals

Establish a Steering Committee

Contact your State Advocacy Group

Adopt a Constitution

Components of Successful Parent Advocacy Groups

Write Policies and Procedures

Identify and Respect the Group in Power

Allow Professionals to Develop the Program

Conduct Short and Long-Term Evaluations

Provide Reinforcement for Group Members

Creative Advocacy Ideas Stories of Success!

A parent advocacy group in New York broke down barriers to grade acceleration, started a Saturday enrichment program, and organized a

regularly published newsletter.

In North Carolina, a strategy called “Bag It” was used to start the conversation about gifted education. Participants were given two paper bags and asked to

take a local level leader (principal, school board member, superintendent, newspaper reporter, etc.) to lunch. This strategy build coalitions and new

supporters for gifted education.

In Colorado, an advocacy group worked with legislators to create an amendment that gave them increased funding and identified gifted learners.