Meeting the Needs of TAG Children in
Portland Public Schools
A District TAG Advisory Committee (DTAC) Position Paper
Written by: Steering Committee members Marilyn Johnson, chair,
Jeffrey Werstler, Vice Chair, Alys Allwardt, Margaret DeLacy,
Michael Reid, and Sheila Weinmann.
The District Tag Advisory Committee is sponsored by the
Portland Public School District. It is composed of parents of TAG
children throughout the district. Its purpose is to advocate for
Talented and Gifted (TAG) students, advise the district
concerning policies and programs for TAG children, and to support
and inform parents about TAG issues. All parents, teachers, and
administrators are welcome to attend meetings. The following is a
position paper prepared by DTAC. It addresses many of the issues
which are of concern to TAG parents. It is an attempt to put into
writing a position on many of the concerns which are repeatedly
raised by parents at DTAC meetings.
CONTENTS:
IDENTIFICATION/ASSESSMENT
GIFTED STUDENT
PLANS
RATE AND LEVEL
PROGRAMS
TIMELY DELIVERY
OF SERVICES
DATA
COLLECTION AND EVALUATION
EARLY ENTRY
EXCEPTIONALLY GIFTED
GEOGRAPHICALLY
ISOLATED
SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL
NEEDS
TIME WITH
INTELLECTUAL PEERS
COMMUNICATION
LEADERSHIP
TAG BUDGET
TAG TEACHERS
SELF-CONTAINED
ACCELERATED PROGRAM
PARENTS' AND
STUDENTS' RESPONSIBILITIES
----return to Links
for Portland TAG parents
GOAL : To identify all potential TAG students, to assess
the appropriate level of instructional services for these
children, and to maintain on-going assessment data facilitating a
continuous delivery of appropriate services throughout the
students' time in the Portland Public Schools.
NOMINATION:
DTAC supports
- 1) written notification of parents' right to nominate
their child for TAG services.
- 2)responsibility of teaching staff to nominate potential
TAG students, with subsequent parental consent.
IDENTIFICATION :
DTAC supports
- 1) written parental notification prior to testing,
specifying the date and nature of individual tests to be
administered. The law (OAR 581-21-030) already specifies
that parents be informed in their native language and
that permission be obtained for individual intelligence
testing.
- 2) parental option to be present during the individual
testing of kindergarten and first graders. Pros and cons
should be discussed with the parents who feel this option
is appropriate for their child.
- 3) tailoring identification processes for specific
groups.
K - 2 :preliminary identification of TAG children
utilizing the Frasier (or like) model combined with
intellectual ability tests. Availability of academic
testing for early readers.
3 - 8 : preliminary identification of TAG children
utilizing the Frasier (or like) model combined with
academic achievement tests. Availability of intellectual
ability tests for potential TAG children to identify
gifted underachievers, learning disabled, poor
communicators, and ESL TAG children.
9 - 12 : development of a uniform method for
identifying new TAG students at the high school level.
transfer students : establishment of a process for
identifying potential TAG students within one month of
transfer into PPS
- 4) acceptance of scores at or above the 97th percentile
for PALT or nationally-normed IQ or achievement tests as
sufficient to identify a student for TAG services. Parent
evaluation could provide the second piece of
documentation required by law.
- 5) uninterrupted TAG services once a student has been
identified unless and until contradictory information is
obtained.
- 6) notification of parental right to request additional
testing and to appeal decision denying TAG status.
- 1) use of a single test score or teacher report as the
basis for disqualification from TAG.
- 2) delay of services in subsequent years while efforts
are directed at identification or reidentification of
additional TAG students.
- 3) delaying teacher nominations under the assumption that
PALT scores will identify more children in the spring.
ASSESSMENT :
DTAC supports
- 1) availability of academic achievement tests for TAG 1st
and 2nd graders to assess appropriate level of
instruction.
- 2) regular "out-of-level" achievement tests to
determine level of appropriate instruction, e.g., the
secondary School Admission Test (SSAT) and the Scholastic
Aptitude Test (SAT) for grades 5 through 9.
- 3) development of a formal, quarterly record-keeping
system for out-of-grade level progress, particularly
through accelerated curriculum, to facilitate continued
progress in subsequent years.
- 4) formal reevaluation of methods for assessing TAG
students in individual disciplines, such as social
studies and science.
DTAC opposes
- 1) use of current statewide math and writing assessments
for individual placement and planning individual gifted
student programs. (These assessment tools have been
designed for group evaluation and have not been validated
for individual assessment, particularly for the
"outliers" represented by gifted students.)
- 2) time-consuming assessment of previously identified
students before initiation of services in subsequent
years.
REPORTING OF TEST RESULTS :
DTAC supports
- 1) classroom teachers and parents receive written results
of individual tests, with relevant interpretive
information, within 10 school days.
- 2) parents receive Spring PALT scores no later than 10
school days before the last day of school. Included will
be the percentile rankings for each grade level and an
indication of the grade level at which the child's scores
represent the 80th percentile.
GOAL : To ensure that the planning process results in
instruction that meets students' rate and level needs.
DTAC supports
- 1) a separate GSP (or section) for each subject in which
a student is gifted.
- 2) GSP's that include specific assessment information
concerning the student's current level of achievement and
rate of learning, including the grade level that is
needed for appropriate instruction.
- 3) GSP's that contain services that are specifically
linked to the assessment information, and can be shown to
be designed to provide each student with the rate and
level of instruction that is needed.
- 4) GSP's that describe in specific terms, including
materials, curricula, and class placement, the services
to be offered to the student.
- 5) GSP's that describe services that are specifically
tailored to the individual student and are different from
those provided to other students performing at grade
level.
- 6) GSP's that specify the work that will not be required
of a student in order to release time for more advanced
work.
- 7) GSP's that contain provisions for quarterly written
evaluation, and specify what activities, achievements,
and student products will be included in the evaluation.
This quarterly evaluation would most efficiently be
incorporated into the quarterly report card.
- 8) modification of a GSP if quarterly evaluation shows
the plan to be unsatisfactory.
- 9) GSP's and quarterly evaluations that can be used by
teachers in subsequent years for providing smooth
articulation and avoiding repetition of work already
completed or curriculum already mastered.
DTAC opposes
- 1) vague, generic, or "boilerplate" GSP's, that
are written for TAG students as a group, do not address
individual needs, or do not differentiate instruction.
- 2) GSP's that describe teaching strategies or use
adjectives such as "challenging,"
"open-ended," "cooperative" or even
"advanced" in place of providing specific
information about curricula, materials, and grade level.
- 3) GSP's that include activities, such as field trips,
that the entire class participates in, rather than
activities that meet individual needs.
- 4) GSP's that are not signed, do not satisfy the students
or parents, are not carried out, or do not provide a
mechanism for certifying that they have been fulfilled.
GOAL : To provide each TAG child with appropriate
instruction at their assessed level and differentiated rate of
learning.
DTAC supports
- 1) instructional acceleration to the grade level for
which a student's test score would represent the 80th
percentile of achievement.
- 2) flexible ability grouping.
- 3) curriculum compacting.
- 4) substitution of appropriate work and homework for work
that does not meet rate and level needs.
- 5) establishing district-wide benchmark standards for
various subjects:
- a) to place students at the appropriate level
- b)to evaluate the rate of a student's progress
- 6) teacher interaction/facilitation for independent or
self-directed work/projects, particularly in elementary
and middle school. We recommend one hour facilitation for
every 3-4 hours of independent work.
- 7) programs which facilitate group acceleration, such as
honors, advanced, and AP classes.
DTAC opposes
- 1) use of extracurricular programs to meet rate and level
needs.
- 2) assignments that add to, instead of replacing,
standard age-levelcurriculum.
- 3) assigning independent work that uses more than one
third of the school week.
- 4) use of enrichment classes in lieu of rate and level
instruction.
GOAL : To ensure that TAG children receive services in a
timely fashion.
DTAC supports
- 1) development of an appropriate gifted student plan
(GSP) for each TAG student prior to the fall
parent-teacher conference.
- 2) a verification process to ensure the existence of
signed GSPs for all TAG students 1 week after fall
parent-teacher conferences. Administrative support for
resolution of those cases with missing or unsigned GSP's.
- 3) initiation of appropriate rate and level instruction
within 30 days of identification.
- 4) written quarterly evaluations of student progress
relative to their gifted student plans. These should be
sent home with report cards.
- 5) timely reporting of all testing scores to parents.
PALT scores should be received by parents no less than 10
days prior to the last day of school.
GOAL : To determine compliance with the state TAG
mandate, satisfaction with provided services, and to fine tune
services.
DTAC supports
- 1) continued collection of information by teachers.
- 2) separately surveying teachers, parents, and students
to locatesuccesses to be duplicated and to locate and
correct problem areas.
- 3) follow-up studies of district policies and programs,
such as early entry, to determine which programs have
been successful and which students have benefited.
- 4) yearly regional meetings of principals, TAG
coordinators, and parents to review TAG program
implementation.
- 5) retention of district test and evaluation department
and continued administration of PALT and other
standardized tests.
GOAL : To maintain the option of early entry, where
appropriate, for the families of gifted children.
DTAC supports
- 1) communication of available programs to the families of
young gifted children.
- 2) retaining the existing screening and counseling
process before initiating testing.
- 3) waiver of screening fees for families whose children
qualify for free or reduced lunch.
- 4) retaining the existing district testing of potential
early entry candidates.
- 5) relaxing the criteria for early entry, especially with
respect to physical maturity and motor skills.
- 6) counseling families after testing regarding the
benefits and disadvantages of early entry.
- 7) allowing family's wishes to strongly influence the
final decision for early entry, provided that the child
meets the criteria for TAG identification.
- 8) regular follow-up counseling for children accepted for
early entry
GOAL : To establish a mechanism for providing appropriate
rate and level education for exceptionally gifted children (about
1 child in a thousand.)
DTAC supports
- 1) recognition that:
- a.) there is a larger variability in intellectual
capability at the upper limits of testing.
- b.) 'exceptionally gifted' children have
abilities so great that their instructional needs
and rate and level of learning are distinct from
those of other TAG identified children.
- 2) establishing a policy for the identification of
'exceptionally gifted' children. Possible indicators are
: IQ of 150 or greater tested mental age that is 1.5
times the mean scores on a nationally standardized test
representing the 99.6 percentile demonstrated ability to
perform at five or more grade levels beyond
age-appropriate grade level material in one or more
subject areas exceptional performance in several areas
assessed using a multivariant model such as the Frasier
model, and obvious distinction from classmates
- 3) grouping exceptionally gifted children for at least
1/3 of their school day to facilitate learning and
diminish sense of isolation. As these children are quite
rare, this may mean grouping into only one or two schools
in the district. (Note: skipping 1 or 2 grades will not
group the exceptionally gifted child with intellectual
peers and should not be used as the sole modification to
their academic program.)
- 4) providing a specialist, possibly a tutor, to meet the
academic and high level thinking needs of exceptionally
gifted children. Teachers are not generally certified to
prepare curriculum 5 or more grade levels beyond the
assigned class.
- 5) regular counseling (yearly assessment with follow-up
if indicated) for exceptionally gifted to address issues,
such as sense of profound isolation.
DTAC opposes
- the practice of skipping a single grade as a
comprehensive solution for exceptionally gifted children;
further modifications will be necessary.
GOAL : To provide alternative educational opportunities
for TAG children who are isolated due to low numbers of TAG
children at their local school.
DTAC supports
- 1) offering regional grouping by administrative transfer
of TAG children whose local school provides fewer than 5
intellectual peers. (Note: 2 first graders gifted in
math, 1 third grader gifted in science, 1 fourth grader
gifted in language arts, and 1 fifth grader gifted in
math do not constitute 5 intellectual peers.)
- 2) informing parents of the option for administrative
transfer for the purpose of regional grouping of TAG
children. Providing information to the parents regarding
the potential benefits of placing their child in a
classroom with opportunity for interaction with
intellectual peers.
- 3) development of a written comprehensive plan to meet
the needs of geographically isolated TAG children at a
regional site. This plan needs to be communicated to all
parents of geographically isolated children in the spring
prior to offering them transfers to the site.
- 4) development of an alternative plan to meet the
academic and social needs of geographically isolated TAG
children whose parents decline administrative transfer to
regional TAG sites.
- 5) regular counseling (yearly assessment with follow-up
if indicated) for geographically isolated TAG children
who chose to remain at their local schools.
GOAL : To adapt TAG programs and policies in ways which
ensure that the TAG child's social and emotional needs are met
appropriately.
DTAC supports
- 1) education of principals, TAG coordinators, child
development specialists, teachers, and parents about the
social/emotional needs of TAG children, (e.g., the
warning signs of disengagement or social isolation.)
These efforts should include meetings to inform and
support parents.
- 2) recognition that academic frustration may lead to
inappropriate behavior, withdrawal, or depression.
- 3) maintaining reasonable work expectations for TAG
children, e.g., differentiated classroom work should not
be excessive or force children to choose appropriate
instruction over age appropriate social, creative, or
physical experiences.
- 4) recognition of the diversity of TAG children with
respect to race, ethnicity, gender, maturity, creativity,
physical ability, coping skills, and learning style, to
name a few. Many are "doubly-identified," with
physical or learning disabilities.
- 5) recognition that TAG children are not necessarily more
capable of taking charge of their own learning than other
children of the same age.
- 6) recognition that mastery of a subject does not
necessarily prepare a child to teach peers.
- 7) encouraging TAG children to pursue their academic or
creative passions and share the results as a contributor
to the class community.
- 8) flexible grouping patterns that will allow TAG
children to "be themselves" with intellectual
peers, rather than "hiding their strengths" to
conform.
- 9) provision of individual or group counseling for
children whose giftedness creates social or emotional
distress.
DTAC opposes
- 1) the notion that TAG children will survive "no
matter what" because of exceptional capabilities.
- 2) allowing TAG child to "float through"
school, never needing to work hard, accept constructive
criticism, or develop work habits by meeting challenges.
- 3) parents, teachers, and test administrators
"pushing" TAG children to be the
"best," or use of language which implies
"better than" others.
- 4) use of the nomenclature "TAG" or
"gifted" in front of students. This language
may serve to further isolate children, or imply
"better." It is sufficient to call children
from their classroom for "math,"
"testing,"etc.
- 5) isolation of a TAG child by frequent independent work,
individualized instruction, or attitudes that tend to
repeatedly differentiate the child in the classroom
community.
- 6) scheduling independent TAG work during socially
important class times, such as during P.E., the
artists-in-residence program, etc
GOAL : To provide each TAG student sufficient time and
appropriate experiences working with intellectual peers.
DTAC supports
- 1) clustering TAG children in classrooms at all levels.
- 2) giving TAG children at least 4 hours per week with
intellectual peers during the school day.
- 3) working to increase time with intellectual peers to 8
hours per week.
- 4) offering challenging, supervised activities to
students who are grouped for time with intellectual
peers.
DTAC opposes
- 1) assigning fewer than three TAG children to a
classroom.
- 2) local school policies that recommend or require a
uniform distribution of TAG students throughout all
classrooms.
COMMUNICATION (issues not discussed by specific topic
elsewhere)
GOAL : To make optimum learning experiences possible by
establishing excellent communication between and among teachers,
parents, students, principals, and administrators.
DTAC supports
- 1) regular parent involvement including
- a) production and distribution of a handbook for
TAG parents.
- b) making sure that all TAG children and their
parents are aware of the advanced programs which
are already available.
- c) use of building meetings for parents of TAG
children at least twice a year.
- d) establishment by principals of building TAG
committees, on which parents are represented. Use
of a specific process for electing parents to the
building TAG committee; they should not be
informally chosen by a TAG coordinator or
principal.
- e) encouragement of all TAG parents to attend
meetings which discuss the evaluation of their
own child, and to supply relevant information.
- f) TAG parent representation on all regional and
district committees involved in TAG planning.
- g) provision of timely information to parents
about DTAC meetings.
- 2) communication of guidelines, for teaching TAG
children, to all principals and teachers. Such guidelines
should include: teaching at rate and level, ability
grouping, need for time with peers, advanced assignments
in replacement for regular work, etc.
- 3) a clear and concise appeals and complaint process,
including
- a) communication to all principals, TAG
coordinators, teachers, and parents regarding the
chain of responsibility for TAG implementation
and the appeals process.
- b) timely and accurate recording of all
complaints, appeals, and their resolutions. This
will aid in identifying trends.
GOAL : To provide checks and balances to ensure that
appropriate TAG services are consistently delivered throughout
the district.
DTAC supports
- 1) follow-through by principals to ascertain if services
are being delivered in a timely fashion, e.g., if GSP's
are signed, if quarterly GSP evaluations are completed,
etc.
- 2) principal initiated formation of building TAG planning
committees and building TAG parent meetings.
- 3) follow-through from the region or district to
ascertain if services are being delivered in a timely
fashion.
- 4) authority at the district level to establish TAG
implementation guidelines which will increase uniformity
of services throughout the district and improve
transitions between grades and between schools.
- 5) authority at the district level to review local TAG
plans and programs. Subsequent authority to require
appropriate changes.
- 6) the authority for district TAG personnel to initiate
review of specific TAG programs or cases.
- 7) a clearly defined "chain of command," with
the district ultimately responsible for appropriate
services.
GOAL : Assuring that the benefit from TAG funds are
maximized for TAG students.
DTAC supports
- 1) using TAG funds to achieve appropriate rate and level
instruction for all TAG children.
- 2) maintaining centralized expert TAG staff for the
purposes of communication, testing, teacher training,
"trouble-shooting", evaluating programs,
overseeing TAG policy, and monitoring delivery of TAG
services.
- [This section was misnumbered: #3 did not exist. Original
numbering has been retained to retain consistency with
existing printed copies]
- 4) funding teaching assistants, tutors, off-campus or
college classes, and/or special education teachers when
necessary to deliver rate and level instruction.
- 5) local schools accounting for both the usage of funds
and the actual use of the resource purchased with the
funds.
- 6) seeking extra funding through grants, for example, to
develop or adapt curriculum for rate and level
instruction, facilitate curriculum compacting, review
national resources, evaluate current rate and level
instruction, etc.
- 7) bringing nationally recognized TAG experts to the
district for teacher, administrator, and parent
workshops, lectures, or symposiums.
DTAC opposes
- 1) using TAG funds for extracurricular activities or
"enrichment" programs.
- 2) using TAG funds to purchase items needed to enhance
general school programs.
GOAL : To provide each TAG child with a teacher prepared
to make appropriate adjustments to curriculum to address diverse
rate and level needs.
DTAC supports
- 1) TAG teacher training program and/or a process by which
teachers identify themselves as willing and able to
teach/facilitate students needing curriculum adjustments
up to four grade levels beyond the class.
- 2) provision of at least one pathway through each
elementary school taught by TAG identified teachers.
- 3) development of a team approach by teachers of TAG
students within each school to ensure the smooth
articulation of services from year to year, and to
facilitate the appropriate grouping of students.
DTAC opposes
- 1) equal numerical distribution of TAG children into all
classes
- 2) placement of TAG children with teachers who do not
want them and/or resent their need for a differentiated
curriculum.
- 3) placement of TAG children with teachers whose teaching
style does not facilitate flexible grouping.
GOAL : To continue to review the professional literature
and retain the option of a self-contained accelerated program to
meet the rate and level needs of students whose needs are not
easily met in the neighborhood classroom.
DTAC supports
- 1) a "magnet" school option to provide a
program of full-time appropriate instruction for students
whose academic rate and level needs are not easily met in
the neighborhood classroom (see positions on
Exceptionally Gifted and Geographically Isolated.)
- 2) equal access for all TAG students in the PPS service
area whose rate and level needs are not easily met.
- 3) providing this program at a cost no greater than the
per child cost in a typical PPS classroom.
- 4) utilizing such a program as a demonstration project to
develop curricula or refine appropriate strategies for
instruction of TAG students throughout the district.
- 5) part time options for students who prefer to remain in
their neighborhood schools but have single subject
acceleration needs that cannot be met at the local
school.
- 6) provision for the social and emotional development, as
well as the academic needs of these students.
- 7) review of the professional literature as a basis for
determining the appropriateness of a self-contained
accelerated program.
It must be noted that not all parents and students are
equipped to follow through with some or all of the following.
Because teachers, principals, and administrators are trained
professionals, the burden of delivering appropriate services
must be on them.
Parents should :
- 1) when advocating for their child, try to establish a
positive, cooperative approach with the teacher.
- 2) discuss their child's previous educational
experiences, temperment, and learning style with the
teacher.
- 3) have frequent discussions with their child about what
the child is learning and which aspects of what they are
learning excite them. When appropriate, they should give
feedback to the teachers.
- 4) review and approve GSPs. They should be certain that
GSPs are written to address the child's assessed level
and rate of learning.
- 5) regularly view the child's portfolio.
- 6) attend building meetings for parents of TAG children.
- 7) follow the appropriate procedures for appeals and
complaints.
- 8) understand and communicate that being
"advanced" is not the same as being
"better."
Students should :
- 1) discuss with their parents and teachers the things
they are learning and suggest ways to improve their
educational experience.
- 2) complete contracted assignments in a timely manner.
- 3) behave responsibly.
- 4) behave respectfully toward other students and all
staff members.
- 5) not abuse special responsibilities, e.g., release off
campus for independent study.
- 6) understand that being "advanced" is not the
same as being "better."
- 7) try to learn to work with both age and intellectual
peers where cooperation is appropriate.
- 8) accept counseling when appropriate.
----return to Links
for Portland TAG parents