A Timeline of Talented and Gifted Services in Oregon

"The level of funding has ranged from .9 at one time since 1977 to 3 FTE devoted specifically for TAG statewide. That's when we received federal funding." Salam Noor in testimony to the House Education Committee, January 24, 2005

Bob Siewert becomes Oregon's first TAG specialist (date unknown, about 1980). About 1979 he is project director for a TAG handbook published by OATAG . He stated in 2004 that he was the TAG specialist for 17 years.

1980s

Department of Education offers Grant-in-Aid programs that allow districts to apply for funds. University of Oregon develops graduate program in Gifted Education

1984

Oregon University System establish Talented and Gifted Institute for the Development of Educational Achievement.  Number of university TAG courses increase. About half of all Oregon districts offer some TAG services.

1987

 Oregon TAG Mandate passed--it is to be implemented 1990-1992

1988

Congress passes the Jacob Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Act (Javits) as part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act

About 1989

Oregon receives a three year Javits grant of $1 million.

1990

Districts required to identify Talented and Gifted Students in the 1990-1 school year

Department of Education issues a series of Technical Assistance Papers including:

Identification

Assessment

Program and Service Models

Modifying Curriculum and Instruction

Policies and Program Planning

1991

Districts required to provide programs for identified Talented and Gifted students in the 1991-2 school year

Following passage of Measure 5 University of Oregon ends its Graduate Program in Gifted Education

1993

TAG staffing set at 0.3 FTE. State grant-in-aid to TAG reduced from $879,021 to ?

1995

Minor revisions to TAG Mandate

1997

Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory issues special edition of its journal on TAG education (Growing Up Gifted) which includes some history http://educationnorthwest.org/webfm_send/1226

TAG grant-in-aid $200,000/ biennium, divided between six Regional Planning Groups to provide staff development

? 1997

 Kim Sherman acting as Specialist

1999

Kim Sherman resigns. Laura Pehkonen hired for 0.3 postition TAG specialist (funded with Dept. of Ed. staffing, not Grant in Aid)

Dept. of Education holds a Statewide meeting "Building a Pathway to Policy Change in Talented and Gifted Education" at the University of Oregon, Eugene (Nov. 1) Issued a report

2001-3

TAG grant-in-aid set at $220,300.

2002

At end of the 5th. special session called to balance the budget, TAG grant-in-aid cut to $108.000. Department proposes $207,000 but Governor's recommended budget cuts all TAG funding.

Department of Education suggests including TAG services in Comprehensive District Improvement Plans (CDIPs). Laura Pehkonen testifies that mean per capita spending by districts on TAG has declined from $179 in 1999-2000 and $180 in 2000-2001 to $128 in 2001-2002. Median spending had declined from $81 in 1999-2000 to $7 in 2001-2.

No Child Left Behind becomes law

2003

Laura Pehkonen resigns as TAG Specialist

Dept. of Education issues a paper on "Strategies" for TAG services that include building capacity within the Department, increasing accountability, data collection and reporting, pre-service training, pre-service training, professional development and communication (the latter states "Reinstitute the TAG Advisory Committee with the purpose of studying issues and making recommendations to ODE".

The Oregon Audits division sends a letter to Superintendent Susan Castillo noting several "instructional services risks."  Number 5 is that "School districts may not properly identify and provide appropriate services to talented and gifted students. . . . in general, schools' efforts in this regard have not been adequate.  In addition, the department has devoted little in the way of resources to monitoring TAG programs.  Department management agreed that this continues to be a significan risk."

Representative Dalto sponsors bills to

--Create a TAG division in the Dept. of Education with 2 FTE positions for TAG (HB 3480)(amended to 1 FTE) (itpasses House ed. and dies)

--Appropriate 2% of funds from Title IIA for TAG (HB 2816)

--Track TAG students when districts apply for TAG fundings (HB 2843)

Sen. Brown drafts legislation to

--Provide $200,000 to restore TAG grant in aid (passes Senate ed. and referred to Ways and Means where it dies)

--Earmark $1.5m. from Title IIA funds for TAG professional development (SB 849) (passes Senate ed. and referred to Ways and Means where it dies)

--Provide $550,000 to increase participation in AP program.(SB 850) (passes Senate Ed. and referred to Ways and Means where it dies)

2004

Department of Education holds a series of "input sessions" around the state and issues a Summary Report in April.

Andrea Morgan appointed as TAG Specialist with 0.3 FTE

Dept. of Ed. moves TAG from Special Education to Educational Improvement and Innovation under Salaam Noor.

2005

OATAG sponsors HB 2954 to require that districts submit copies of their TAG plans to Dept. It dies.

Representatives Avakian and Dalto co-sponsor HB 2636 to create a FTE position for a TAG specialist. It dies.

2007

Senate Bill 312 requires school districts to submit written plan of instruction for TAG to State Dept. of Education

Senate Bill 622 Requires the Department of Education to provide 1 FTE for TAG, establish six regional TAG planning centers and districts to submit written plans of instruction for TAG

Senate Bill 721 Requires Department to provide full-time equivalent employee to administer TAG

House Bill 2533 Appropriates money from General Fund to Dept. of Education for TAG program

HB 2587 creates TAG Task Force

HB 2770 Requires districts to submit plan for TAG instruction to Dept. of Education

HB 3037 Creates TAG committee and directs the committee to administer funds appropriated for TAG education

--none of these bills passes but Senate Bill 1066-A "relating to education" at the end of the session includes $350,000 per biennium for a full-time TAG administrator. The Bill passes both houses on a unanimous vote.

Stacey Figgins is hired in September as the first full-time TAG administrator.

2009

House bill 3076 which requires districts to submit copies of their TAG plans to the Dept. of Education dies

Two grants given to the Southern Oregon Education Service District and Western Oregon University to create "TAG service centers".

Stacy Figgins resigns

2010

 Rebecca Blocher is named TAG specialist

2011

House Bill 2180 requires districts to submit copies of their TAG plans to the Dept. of Education. It passes by a vote of 52-5 in the House and 24-6 in the Senate.

Senate Bill 330 designates an unstated percentage of the ADMw formula for TAG education; it is later amended to create a TAG Task Force and passes in that form.

House bill 3553 provides funding for TAG: $300 per student in districts with fewer than 75 identified students and $250 per student in districts with more than 75 identified students each fiscal year (between $10 and $12 million per year; $20-24 million per biennium). It dies

House Bill 3463 Appropriates $50,000 from State School Fund for TAG. It dies.

Combined District TAG spending falls from $7.3 million in 1999-2000 to $5.5 million in 2010-11.

2012

State TAG Task Force created by Senate Bill 330 submits its report:  The Quiet Crisis: Talented and Gifted Education in the State of Oregon .  Report finds that:

-- Oregon is one of five states that mandate TAG services but doesn’t provide funding to support services.

--Classroom teachers lack professional development

--Many districts are under-identifying or not identifying TAG students

--Services are inconsistent across the state and among schools within districts

2013

--Rep. Julie Parrish sponsors House Bill 2877, to provide funding to districts for TAG students. It passes unanimously through the House Education Committee but dies in the House Revenue Committee.

Senate Bill 272 has a public hearing and work session in the Senate Education and Workforce committee.  The committee votes to send the bill on to the Senate Revenue Committee where it dies.

2015

Angela Allen becomes state TAG specialist, following the retirement of Rebecca Blocher.

On January 29, 2015, the Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC) approved a specialization in Talented and Gifted Education (OAR 584-066-0025). The standards for the specialization are set by TSPC and are outlined here. The specialization is in addition to an already existing license.

--Rep. Julie Parrish sponsors House Bill 2815, to provide funding to districts for TAG students.  It does not receive a hearing in the House Education Committee, chaired by Rep. Margaret Doherty.

Congress replaces No Child Left Behind with the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).  As a condition of Title II funding for staff development, ESSA requires districts to "address the learning needs of all students, including children with disabilities, English learners, and gifted and talented students"

2017

--Portland Public Schools notifies the state Department of Education that it is not in compliance with the Oregon TAG mandate and offers a plan for improving services.

--Representative Julie Parish sponsors House Bill 2419.  It does not receive a hearing in the House Education Committee, chaired by Rep. Margaret Doherty.

--Oregon Department of Education revises Administrative Rules on complaints and appeals and renumbers Administrative Rules on TAG without revising them.

2018

--Joint Interim Committee on Student Success meets across the state; final report notes concerns about TAG services and recommends funding model originally recommended by Quality Education Commission which included TAG.

--Following inconclusive hearings in June and September, the Oregon Department of Education states Division 22 Reports are for compliance during the previous year

2019

--January 9.  Secretary of State Dennis Richardson's office releases a "blistering" audit of Portland Public Schools that also includes comments about the Oregon Department of Education.  Audit recommends that the Department should "work with the State Board and stakeholders to evaluate Division 22 district standards for clarity and enforceability and ensure that ODE has adequate resources to review compliance and enforce standards when districts fall short." https://sos.oregon.gov/audits/Documents/2019-01.pdf

Portland TAG parents submit fresh complaint and appeal to State Department of Education which schedules investigation to take place in 2019-20. 

2020

March--The COVID-19 pandemic results in the closure of all Oregon schools through the spring of 2021

2021

March 18--Oregon State Board of Education revisits calendar for Division 22 assurances

Senator Kathleen Taylor sponsors three bills:

SB 478 "Directs Department of Education to conduct study related to identification of talented and gifted children and to report results of study to interim committee of Legislative Assembly related to education."
SB 486 "Modifies requirements of plans of instruction for talented and gifted children."
SB 487 "Directs Department of Education to conduct study on instruction provided to talented and gifted children and to report results of study to interim committee of Legislative Assembly related to education."

--March 17: Senate Education Committee hearing