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Sept. 13-19, 2019 Your Neighborhood — Your News®
ALSO COVERING AUBURNDALE, COLLEGE POINT, DOUGLASTON, GLEN OAKS, FLORAL PARK
• LITTLE NECK LEDGER
• WHITESTONE TIMES
Fighting to save ‘gifted & talented’
Northeast Queens lawmakers press for greater diversity in public education program
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
On the first day of school
at the East West High School
of International Studies in
Flushing, two Queens lawmakers
announced legislation
that would boost diversity
throughout the Gifted
and Talented Program in
New York City.
Senator Toby Stavisky
and Assemblywoman Nily
Rozic introduced the bill,
S3542/A2240, that would require
all students, prior to
the third grade, be screened
for Gifted and Talented Programs,
unless the parent or
guardian opts out.
“With the start of the
new school year, our school
system should take this opportunity
to broaden the
gateways for students and
ensure that all New Yorkers
have access to the educational
services they deserve,”
Rozic said during a
Sept. 5 press conference.
The purpose of the legislation
is to ensure that all
students are screened and
benefit from the resources
offered by their school districts.
Earlier this year, the
Independent Budget Office
estimated it would cost the
city $3.8 million to test every
student from Pre-K to
second grade.
Stavisky said New York
City’s Gifted and Talented
Program allows for children
who benefit from an accelerated
learning experience
an opportunity to be challenged
in the classroom.
“This legislation would
increase diversity throughout
the Gifted and Talented
Program and include
represented populations,”
Stavisky said. “This bill
would ensure any child with
the ability to excel has the
opportunity to f lourish and
reach their full potential.”
In 2015, the School Board
of Broward County in Florida
issued a report that explained
the results of testing
each child in the second
grade and they found hundreds
of additional students
who qualified — 84 percent
of the students came from
under-represented populations.
Broward County saw
an increase of 180 percent
amongst disadvantaged students
including, English
language learners and those
who qualify for free lunch.
There was an increase of 130
percent amongst Hispanic
students and an 80 percent
increase of African American
students.
The Assemblywoman and
Senator sent a letter to the
Mayor de Blasio earlier this
week to demonstrate their
support of the Gifted and
Talented Program. Stavisky
also announced an online
petition on her website for
parents to show their support
for the gifted and talented
legislation.
Reach reporter Carlotta
Mohamed by email at cmohamed@
schnepsmedia.com
or by phone at (718) 260–
4526.
REMEMBERING THE HEROES OF 9/11
Officers from the 109th Precinct hold a moment of silence in Flushing on Wednesday, Sept. 11 honoring the victims of the terrorist
attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and United Airlines Flight 93 that occurred 18 years ago that morning.
Photo via Twitter/@NYPD109Pct
more students from under-
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