Madison – State Representative Warren Petryk (R-Town of Washington) announced that his legislation with Senator Bernier to enhance programming for gifted and talented pupils passed out the Assembly today.
“National testing data indicates that many Wisconsin students can work up to four grade levels beyond their placement, but few receive work at an appropriate level. Ensuring that these students have an appropriately challenging curriculum is critical both for learning and for motivation,” said Representative Petryk. “Today’s legislation is another step that will help parents ensure that they have the information and resources they need to maximize their child’s potential.”
Assembly Bill 903 is trailer legislation following the increased investments in the gifted and talented program that passed in the biennial budget because of the leadership of Representative Petryk and Senator Bernier. This bill will provide additional information for parents to access their local gifted and talented program while gathering important data on pupil identification, participation in gifted and advanced programs, the types of services schools provide, and how much time a school district dedicates to this important issue. This data will also help further understand the state of gifted education in Wisconsin to better inform future policy, investment, and the adoption of best practices.
“This legislation will also help expand the workforce to address the shortage of gifted and talented teachers,” said Petryk. “By expanding access to the Wisconsin Fast Forward program, we can get more teachers training to help expand access to gifted and talented services, especially in Western Wisconsin.”
