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

 


 

IDENTIFICATION / ASSESSMENT

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

IDENTIFICATION :

DTAC supports

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

DTAC opposes

ASSESSMENT :

DTAC supports

DTAC opposes

REPORTING OF TEST RESULTS :

DTAC supports

 

GIFTED STUDENT PLANS (GSPs)

 

GOAL : To ensure that the planning process results in instruction that meets students' rate and level needs.

DTAC supports

DTAC opposes

 

RATE AND LEVEL PROGRAMS

GOAL : To provide each TAG child with appropriate instruction at their assessed level and differentiated rate of learning.

DTAC supports

DTAC opposes

 

TIMELY DELIVERY OF SERVICES

GOAL : To ensure that TAG children receive services in a timely fashion.

DTAC supports

 

DATA COLLECTION AND EVALUATION

GOAL : To determine compliance with the state TAG mandate, satisfaction with provided services, and to fine tune services.

DTAC supports

 

EARLY ENTRY

GOAL : To maintain the option of early entry, where appropriate, for the families of gifted children.

DTAC supports

 

EXCEPTIONALLY GIFTED

GOAL : To establish a mechanism for providing appropriate rate and level education for exceptionally gifted children (about 1 child in a thousand.)

DTAC supports

DTAC opposes

 

GEOGRAPHICALLY ISOLATED

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

 

SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL NEEDS

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

 

DTAC opposes

 

TIME WITH INTELLECTUAL PEERS

GOAL : To provide each TAG student sufficient time and appropriate experiences working with intellectual peers.

DTAC supports

DTAC opposes

 

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

 

LEADERSHIP

GOAL : To provide checks and balances to ensure that appropriate TAG services are consistently delivered throughout the district.

DTAC supports

 

TAG BUDGET

GOAL : Assuring that the benefit from TAG funds are maximized for TAG students.

DTAC supports

DTAC opposes

 

TAG TEACHERS

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

DTAC opposes

 

SELF-CONTAINED ACCELERATED PROGRAM

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

 

PARENTS' AND STUDENTS' RESPONSIBILITIES

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 :

Students should :

----return to Links for Portland TAG parents