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Denver now offers its gifted-and-talented program at three schools - Baker, Place and Smiley - so students get special instruction near home. But Barbara Neyrinck, head of gifted-and-talented programs for Denver Public Schools, said the programs need to be consolidated to make them stronger, more of a priority and more appealing School administrators proposed creating an expanded special education program for high school students Wednesday in response to the rising costs of out-of-district placements. The goal is to keep special education students in the district, Superintendent Randy Bell said. The program, proposed during the School Board’s business meeting, would target high school students and involve both Hudson and Litchfield. The biggest area of the special education budget is out-of-district costs, said Leslie Derbyshire, special services director. In addition to tuition costs, all political stripes, including long-standing Tories - are hoping their grassroots movement will bring about a groundswell of support. The full-page ad reads, in part: ``Large classes. Fewer special education classes. Reduced library staff. Fewer arts programs . . . Does this sound like your school?'''' The first one appears in today''s Star. The funding formula is not meeting needs of kids in Toronto, or anywhere,'''' said Joanne Pauli, speaking on behalf of the newly formed Friends of Public She has three children, one at North Toronto Collegiate. Most of the parents have some connection to the collegiate; the idea for the ad campaign came out of a parent council meeting. The one-size-fits-all formula isn''t really fitting anyone at all,'''' Pauli said. In 1998, the provincial government seized control of education spending, taking away individual boards'' ability to raise their own taxes depending on their needs. It now spends $13.4 billion a year. we have increasingly held the view that education is a private good, which should serve the individual interests of educational consumers, rather than a public good, which should serve the broader public interest in producing competent citizens and productive workers. First, consider our traditional commitment to preserving local control. The core issue here is the wide and deep strain of libertarian sentiment that lies at the heart of the American psyche. The urge to preserve individual liberty is a key to understanding American society, and it is what defines our distinctive approach to politics, economics, and education. Don''t tell me what to do" has long been our national slogan. By it we have meant in particular that government should keep off our backs -- especially government that is far removed from our local community. All you need to do is remember that this nation was born of an uprising
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