Real Talk for Rural Gifted: Speak Up NOW!

If you’ve ever felt like your gifted program is an afterthought, you aren’t imagining it.
In our small, rural districts, we often live on Gifted Island - marooned with no team, limited resources, and a mountain of paperwork.

But here is the real talk. As Tennessee shifts into this new era of education funding, we cannot afford to stay quiet while our students’ needs are "folded" into the background.

Tennessee Legislatures will meet January 14th for the 114th General Assembly. Many are asking for input on social media. Now is the time to speak up!

Three Ways We Can Advocate for Our Gifted Rural Students

We don't need a complete system overhaul; we need enforcement and support for what is already supposed to be happening.

• Demand a Designated Advocate: We need to reinstate a full-time State Gifted Education Specialist and create regional consultants (the CORE model) to provide the coaching and PD that small districts can't afford on their own.

• Ask the Hard Funding Questions: If the state mandates IG services, why is there no transparent funding weight? We must ask our representatives to clarify how TISA supports advanced learners. See the TISA Paradox below.

• Shift to Skills, Not Just Content: We need to equip our learners for a changing world by focusing on timeless skills like critical thinking, creative thinking, and leadership.

The TISA Paradox: Where is the Support?

Tennessee law is clear. "Intellectually Gifted" (IG) is a disability category under special education. This means our students are state-mandated to receive specialized instruction via an IEP.

However, the new TISA (Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement) formula has created a "funding fog".

• The Missing Weight: While TISA includes "Unique Learning Need" weights for other special education categories, IG is not explicitly listed as a specific, standalone weight in most district guides.

• The Accountability Gap: Because there isn't a clear, public multiplier specifically for Gifted, many Directors of Schools in rural counties report seeing zero additional funding for these services.

• Inspected vs. Expected: We currently measure paperwork with a magnifying glass, but we don't monitor the actual impact of services or whether the money intended for these learners ever reaches them.

Why This Matters for Rural Districts

In a large city, a gifted program might have an entire department. In a rural district, you are probably the only person identifying, serving, and advocating for these kids across multiple campuses.

When funding is unclear, gifted services are often the first to be squeezed. We’re told "all means all," but if the funding doesn't explicitly follow the gifted student, then "all" doesn't actually include the high-achiever sitting in the back of the room who is bored to tears.

Take a moment to craft your Purpose Statement and share it in our Gifted Ed Solutions community:

Here is a sentence template: "Our Gifted Services will [Action] by [Strategy] so that [Impact]."

For example: "Our Gifted Services will empower rural gifted students by teaching leadership, creative problem-solving, and critical thinking skills so that no student's potential is limited by their zip code."

My Closing Thought: Gifted Ed must be recognized for what it truly is.

We must stop treating gifted education as a luxury and start recognizing it for what it truly is: a specialized learning need that requires both advocacy and intentional, funded support.

The 114th TN General Assembly is set to reconvene at 12:00 noon (CST) on Tuesday, January 13, 2026. Reach out to your state representative before this date to share your thoughts. If you teach in TN, you can find your representative here: https://www.capitol.tn.gov/legislators/

From child-find to instruction,
Michelle
Founder, Gifted Ed Solutions
Helping gifted teachers reclaim their time & joy - one system at a time. 💚💙

🛠️ Resources to Help You Start Now:

• ☎️TN Find Your Legislator Tool
  https://www.capitol.tn.gov/legislators/

• Want to see my exact email sent to my representative earlier this month (December)? Here's the text: Here's the exact text I used

• 🤝Join the Gifted Ed Solutions Community - I'd love your help in growing our online community.
  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556725315475