On Friday, state legislators will consider a bill that might leave gifted students in regular classrooms and deny them the extra help and advanced coursework they get with the schools' special education programs.

Locally, school administrators and parents are against the plan, saying gifted students do suffer from disabilities, namely boredom in classes and the inability to learn in slower environments. They argue that these gifted classes make all the difference in allowing them to reach their potential.

The State Education Commissioner will not support the bill unless it outlines a clear alternative plan for gifted students.

The Tennessee Initiative for Gifted Education Reform (TIGER) is organizing an effort to protect these classes and block the bill.

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