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The IAGC Policy and Advocacy Committee invites you to join our efforts in advocating for the academic needs of advanced learners and to promote and communicate policies that contribute to those needs.

Please look through the links below, join our next Policy and Advocacy Committee meeting, or volunteer to share our current advocacy efforts.

Contact our Policy & Advocacy Co-Chairs for More Information:

Julie Luck Jensen and Pamela Shaw and Deanna Markos

2025 BILLS DIRECTLY IMPACTING ADVANCED LEARNERS

IAGC's BILL SB1983 SCH CD-GIFTED & TALENTED

PASSED SENATE & HOUSE

Sen. Mary Edly-Allen

Amends the School Code. Removes language providing that a local program for the education of gifted and talented children may be approved for funding by the State Board of Education if funds for that purpose are available and if the local program submits an application for funds that includes a comprehensive plan. Removes language providing that the State Board of Education staff person in charge of educational programs for gifted and talented children shall be responsible for developing an approval process for educational programs for gifted and talented children.

BILLS TO WATCH

Check here for bills that need your support or opposition!

PAST POLICY & ADVOCACY EFFORTS

2024 IAGC Policy & Advocacy

SB3164 SCH CD-ASSESSMENT RESTRICTION

Sponsored by Rep. Carol Ammons

PASSED by the House and the Senate

SIGNED into law by Gov. Pritzker

Amends the Gifted and Talented Children and Children Eligible for Accelerated Placement Article of the School Code. Provides that a school district's accelerated placement policy may allow for the waiver of a course or unit of instruction completion requirement if (i) completion of the course or unit of instruction is required by the Code or rules adopted by the State Board of Education as a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma and (ii) the school district has determined that the student has demonstrated mastery of or competency in the content of the course or unit of instruction. Provides that the school district shall maintain documentation of this determination of mastery or competency for each student, which must include identification of the learning standards or competencies reviewed, the methods of measurement used, student performance, the date of the determination, and identification of the district personnel involved in the determination process. Provides that a school district must provide notification to a student's parent or guardian that the student will receive a waiver. Makes a corresponding change in the Courses of Study Article of the Code. Effective immediately.

House Committee Amendment No. 1

Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the contents of the bill as introduced with the following changes. In provisions concerning accelerated placement, provides that a school district's accelerated placement policy shall cover a student who exceeds State standards in specified coursework (instead of meets or exceeds State standards in specified coursework). Provides that by no later than the beginning of the 2027-2028 school year, a school district's accelerated placement policy shall provide the option, in the following school term, for a student to enroll in the next most rigorous level of advanced coursework offered by the high school if the student meets State standards in English language arts, mathematics, or science on a State assessment administered following specified requirements for specified coursework. Effective immediately.

2023 IAGC Policy & Advocacy

Senate Bill SB2337

103rd General Assembly

PASSED by the Senate and the House

Signed into Law by the Governor!

Amends the Gifted and Talented Children and Children Eligible for Accelerated Placement Article of the School Code.

THANK YOU to the Sponsors of SB2337:

State Senators: Mary Edly-Allen - Rachel Ventura, Suzy Glowiak Hilton, Meg Loughran Cappel and Javier L. Cervantes.
State Representative: Nabeela Syed

THANK YOU to the 2023 IAGC Policy and Advocacy Team

Senator Mary Edly Allen and Policy & Advocacy Co-Chair Pam Shaw

Representative Syed, P&A Co-Chair Pam Shaw, Advisor Phil Milsk

Learn how a Bill becomes a Law HERE

Find your State Legislator HERE

Current issues in gifted education

Current Legislation Impacting Children with Gifts and Talents

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

Accelerated Placement Act

School Report Card Act

Be an Advocate!

Upcoming events

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2026 PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP/ SPONSOR sign up

Start
10/15/2025

End
02/07/2026

Location
IAGC website

Register

2026 PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP or SPONSOR sign up

Promotional and Networking Opportunities for Organizations and Professionals who provide services to families and educators of gifted and advanced students.
Registration Period: Oct 25, 2025 -- Feb 1, 2026
Late Registration: Feb 2, 2026 -- June 1, 2026 Full benefits may be limited
OPTION 1: Professional Member

Name and contact information listed in the Professional Directory available to IAGC community.

Select a preferred Professional Category out of 6 choices

May Add-On 1 month "spotlight" on Sponsor Page

Option to contribute one 5-minute prerecorded mini-lesson to the IAGC video library (with approval of IAGC)

VIEW PROFESSIONAL DIRECTORY

OPTION 2: Professional Sponsor

Logo and Link displayed on IAGC Home Page, IAGC Parent Page, IAGC Educator Page

Brief description, Name, Logo and/or Link on Professional Services Page as a permanent "spotlight".

Listing in Professional Directory, up to 3 Professional Categories.

Option to contribute one 15 minute mini-lesson to IAGC video library (coming soon!)

Included in the IAGC Quarterly newsletter.

Included in occasional member or contact email &/or social media communications.

VIEW PROFESSIONAL SPONSOR PAGE

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2025-2026 C3 Coordinators Connect and Collaborate

Start
10/15/2025
End
04/08/2026
Schedule
4 sessions
Location
Virtual
Spaces left
35
Registered
15 registrants

Register

C3: Coordinators Connect and Collaborate

Welcome to the 2025-2026 School Year

If you are a Gifted Coordinator or work in a gifted program leadership role, please join the IAGC for our 4-session, Bi-Monthly Virtual Support Meetings in which we provide resources, discussions, and strategies to help teachers work with advanced learners in their classroom.

Topic: The Fordham Institute Pipeline Report

Coordinators and district/school leaders are invited to join the conversation as we review research and recommendations from the recent report: Building a Wider, More Diverse Pipeline of Advanced Learners, published by the National Working Group on Advanced Education. Strategies for developing a comprehensive continuum of services for advanced learning within districts/schools will be a key area of focus.

This topic will be covered over the course of 4 sessions, October, December 2025 and January, April 2026.

Coordinators of advanced academic programming are invited to join this year's C3 conversations as we address a new topic.

Bring your questions, ideas, and solutions to share with other Gifted Coordinators across the state.

2025-26 DATES

Wednesday October 15 2025
12:00 PM - 12:45 PM

Wednesday December 10 12:00 PM - 12:45 PM

Wednesday January 28 2026 12:00 PM - 12:45 PM

Wednesday April 8 12:00 PM - 12:45 PM

Registration Fees

Free to members

$50 for non-members (includes all 4 sessions)

$25 for one additional guest (non-member)

* requires a minimum of 10 registrations

* no refunds (refund policy)

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WINTER 2026 IAGC Gifted Education Modules: Foundations for Teaching Advanced Learners in Today's Classrooms

Start
01/14/2026

End
02/18/2026

Schedule
6 sessions

Location
online

Spaces left
17

Register

WINTER 2026

Modules in Gifted Education:

Foundations for Teaching Advanced Learners

in Today's Classrooms

IAGC Professional Development (virtual)

$375/Members, $425/Non-Members, $999/ Group of THREE

Wednesday evenings

Jan 14 - Feb 18

6:30pm - 8:30pm

(6 sessions)

Jan 14, 21, 28 Feb 4, 22, 18

(dates and times subject to change)

PD Project Due: February 25, 2026

Designed for classroom teachers and enrichment teachers who serve advanced learners in grades K-8, each module provides practical knowledge and evidence-based strategies to meet the needs of students who achieve and/or have the potential to achieve at high levels. Attendees will gain an understanding of current, equitable and inclusive approaches in the field of gifted education and explore programming/instructional models, classroom structures, and collaborations to support advanced learners. Projects and readings are designed with an eye to applicability/relevance to classroom practice. Classroom teachers, new enrichment/advanced programming teachers, and educators seeking to update their foundational skills and knowledge for developing talents of advanced learners are encouraged to participate.

Each of three virtual modules includes 4 hours of synchronous and 6 hours of independent learning. A Certificate of Course Completion from IAGC and 30 PD hours will be provided upon completion of all three modules. Instead of Professional Development hours, participants can opt to earn two semester hours from Lindenwood University upon completing module requirements.

Note: Assignments will be provided and submitted on the Google Classroom platform. All participants are required to have a Google Account and email to participate in this course.

Course Overview:

Module 1: Understanding Advanced Learners (4 hours in-class time + 6 hours independent learning)

Part 1 - Conceptions of Giftedness (2 hour class + readings and assignments)

Part 2 - Recognizing and Developing Gifts and Talents (2 hour class + readings and assignments)

Module 2: Programming, Collaborations and Classroom Structures to Support Growth of Advanced Learners (4 hours in-class time + 6 hours independent learning)

Part 1 -  Supporting Growth of Advanced Learners Through the MTSS Framework, Assessment, and Professional Learning Communities (2-hour virtual class + readings and assignments)

Part 2 -  Classroom, Community, and Family Collaborations to Support Advanced Learners (2-hour virtual class + readings and assignments)

Module 3: Differentiation and Instructional Strategies for Advanced Learners (4 hours in-class time + 6 hours independent learning)

Part 1 -  Key Components of Differentiated Instruction for Advanced Learners (2-hour virtual class + readings and assignments)

Part 2 - Student-Centered Differentiation for Advanced Learners (2-hour virtual class + readings and assignments)

Required Text: Heacox, D. and Cash, R., Differentiation for Gifted Learners: Going Beyond the Basics (revised and updated edition). Free Spirit Publishing, 2020 (ISBN: 978-1-63198-432-7)
*Participants are responsible for obtaining the text as it is not included in the module registration fee.

Book is available from Amazon and other book sellers.

All classroom sessions must be attended and readings/assignments completed for module credit. 30 hours of professional development credit is available after satisfactorily completing all of the requirements/assignments.

Note:

Course will run subject to sufficient enrollment.

No refunds unless course is cancelled by the IAGC.

Contact IAGC for large group (10+) discount.

Payment due by first day of class unless otherwise arranged for group registration.

Contact office@iagcgifted.org to request special arrangements.

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