Jacob Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Act

The U.S. Congress will return to Washington D.C. after the 2006 elections to complete action on the fiscal year 2007 appropriations bills. In spite of advocates' best efforts, funding for the Javits program is in jeopardy. The House and Senate Appropriations Committees have now approved separate versions of the fiscal year 2007 education funding bill. After the House committee allocated $0 for the Javits program back in mid June (H.Rept. 109-515), our attention turned to the Senate. Thanks to the support of several key Senators, the Javits program was not eliminated in the Senate, but the funding level was reduced. On July 20 the Senate Appropriations Committee allocated only $5.025 million for the program -- enough to continue funding all of the current grants and the National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented, but not enough money to make any new grant awards in 2007 (S.Rept. 109-287).

Please write to your U.S. Congresspersons encouraging them to support the Javits Act and gifted education grants.

Beth O’Shea receives the 2005 Senator Person Advocacy Award

Beth O’Shea received the the 2005 Senator Curtis Person Advocacy Award in recognition of her dedicated service as a teacher of the gifted, a district coordinator of gifted education in Metro-Nashville Public Schools, an educational advocate to parents and children, and her community activism. She was presented the award by TIGER board member Carrie Gleaves during the annual Tennessee Association for the Gifted Conference luncheon on September 30, 2005 at the Sheraton Read House Hotel in Chattanooga.

TIGER distributes literature at the TAG conference

TIGER distributed literature at the 2005 TAG conference in Chattanooga, on September 30. Pictured at the TIGER booth are Carrie Gleaves, who presented the Person Award at the luncheon, and Michael Swanson.

Tennessee legislature approves dual enrollment grants

SB1315/HB1532, which creates grants for students in grades 9-12 for college coursework, passed both the Tennessee House and Senate.

Who qualifies?

The grant would be for students attending Tennessee high schools (including home schools) who are also enrolled for credit in college courses at eligible postsecondary institutions. The ACT, SAT, and high school GPA are not used to determine eligibility. The high school student (1) must not be ineligible under the non-academic reasons provisions for HOPE scholarship eligibility, (2) must be a Tennessee resident for at least one year before applying for the grant, (3) must be admitted to an eligible postsecondary institution as a dual enrollment student, (4) and must apply for the grant.