Rights of Parents of Talented and Gifted Students
Salem Findings
February 11, 2008
Sandy Husk, Superintendent
Salem-Keizer School District
PO Box 12024
Salem, OR 97309-0024
Dear Superintendent Husk:
This letter serves as the final report of the Oregon Department of Education (ODE)
investigation of the Salem-Keizer School District’s Talented and Gifted Education
program. The report includes findings, required actions, additional recommendations,
and commendations. A summary document of investigation survey data is attached at
Appendix A.
The Oregon Department of Education received a complaint from the Salem/Keizer
Student/Parent Advocacy Association as allowed in Oregon Administrative Rule (OAR)
581-022-1940. As a result initiated a review of the Salem-Keizer School District
compliance with OAR 581-022-1320
and OAR 581-022-1330
Programs and Services for Talented and Gifted Students. Thecomplaint and subsequent review focused attention on the TAG program at district
middle schools and high schools.
Investigation Methodology
In carrying out its investigation, the Department reviewed data and records submitted by
the District, conducted surveys, held meetings with District staff and parents and
conducted interviews with students, teachers, building administrators, and district staff.
Andrea Morgan, Education Specialist and ODE TAG Specialist, led the review. Ray
Lindley, Ph.D., Director; Lynn Wilson-Dean, Education Specialist; and Tom Thompson,
Education Specialist, all from the ODE Office of Educational Improvement and
Innovation, assisted with the data collection at the parent meeting and during school
visits and teacher interviews. The data report generated from the surveys and
interviews is attached to this letter as Appendix A.
Sandy Husk, Superintendent
February 11, 2008
Page 2
ODE examined the following issues:
1. Whether the District is in compliance with Oregon Administrative Rule (OAR)
581-022-1320 and is informing parents at the time of identification of the
programs and services available to their child. The OAR stipulates providing an
opportunity for parents to provide input to and discuss with the district the
programs and services received by their child. It further requires notifying parents
of their rights to request the withdrawal of their child from the TAG program and
to file a complaint under OAR 581-022-1940.
2. Whether the district is assessing each student’s advanced level of learning and
accelerated rate of learning and providing instruction to TAG students that
addresses their assessed levels of learning and their accelerated rates of
learning in compliance with OAR 581-022-1330.
FINDINGS OF FACT
The Salem-Keizer Schools’ TAG Program:
District TAG program staff:
The 2007-2008 district-level TAG program staff includes three (3) full-time Program
Assistants and one (1) half-time Program Coordinator. During the 2006-2007 school
year, the staff consisted of two (2) Program Assistants.
School-level TAG staff—the school district handbook provides the following
descriptions of staff roles and responsibilities:
TAG Advocate
Each school building has an assigned TAG Advocate. The TAG Advocate is a
full-time teacher that receives an additional stipend for TAG Advocate duties.
They receive training from the district’s Program Assistants and Program
Coordinator. The TAG Advocate’s role is to:
•
Lead the school TAG Services Team.•
Coordinate the identification effort within the school.•
Manage student TAG records.•
Communicate with parents during the identification process.•
Act as a liaison between TAG Program Assistants and school staff.•
Keep the principal and staff informed of TAG Services Team decisions.
Sandy Husk, Superintendent
February 11, 2008
Page 3
Principal
’s Role:•
Maintain communication with parents•
Plan and develop instructional programs that result in educationalprogress in all curriculum areas in all grade levels.
Teacher
’s Role:
•
Initiate the TAG identification process on behalf of a student•
Be aware of TAG students’ characteristics and learning needs•
Assess level and rate of learning in different content areas•
Use curriculum modification strategies•
Develop a written instructional plan and communicate the plan to parents,student, and other teachers.
Standards
The Salem-Keizer School District has established standards for the TAG program:
•
There will be an ongoing search for students eligible for TAG services.•
Information will be provided by the school to parents in a timely manner whena student is identified.
•
Level(s) and rate(s) of learning will be assessed.•
Documentation of instruction for assessed level(s) and accelerated rate(s) oflearning will exist.
•
There will be opportunities for parent input and regular communication amongparents, school staff and students.
•
There will be a shared responsibility among parents, school staff andstudents.
•
Appropriate service options for each student to work at assessed level(s) andaccelerated rate(s) of learning will exist.
•
Opportunities will exist for interaction with other TAG students.
Instructional Plans
The school district TAG handbook explains that elementary students have written
individual instructional plans. The plan documents the instructional differentiation for
the student. Secondary students (middle school and high school) do not have individual
instructional plans. At the Secondary level, teachers write TAG instructional course
plans which outline assessment and instructional modification that can be available to
students enrolled in particular courses. These TAG instructional course plans were
readily available at all schools visited.
Sandy Husk, Superintendent
February 11, 2008
Page 4
Secondary Talented and Gifted (TAG) Instructional Plan Grades 6-12
Teachers, either individually or in teams, complete course-level plans. The district’s
plan template includes the following sections:
•
Pre-assessments to determine level and rate of learning--assessment is to occurwithin the first 3 weeks of the course and should document percent, grade,
percentile, specific observation;
•
Differentiated Instruction:--description of what and how differentiation will takeplace in the course;
•
Post-assessments--show they align with state and district requirements.
Supplemental Programs and Services
Other programs and services that provide additional opportunities for TAG students are
available, although these vary from school to school and are dependent on school
resources, parent volunteers, community support and special teacher training.
(Examples: Destination ImagiNation, Junior Great Books, Pentagames, Model United
Nations, Academic Decathlon, Speech and Debate Team, Robotics.)
TAG Program Communications
The Salem-Keizer School District submitted copies of the following documents that
communicate the district’s Talented and Gifted Education program to parents, students,
and other district constituents:
TAG Standards--Talented and Gifted Programs and Services (September 2006)
:gives an overview of the TAG program and lists the eight district standards.
Talented and Gifted Programs and Services (9/06)
: Salem-Keizer PublicSchools: includes the TAG Philosophy, Oregon Administrative Rules, a chart
that differentiates the “Bright Child” from the “Gifted Learner”, the district’s TAG
identification process, Instructional Services for TAG Students, the district
standards for TAG, and contact information.
TAG Parent Handbook:
Talented and Gifted Programs and Services (September2006): includes information about the district identification process and
instructional services, roles of parents, teachers, and support staff, and
resources available to parents.
Parent flyer “To the Parents or Guardians of Students Identified as Talented and
Gifted” (not dated)
: This flyer gives a short, concise description of the TAGstatutes and Oregon Administrative Rules, identification process, programs and
services, parent or guardians’ responsibilities and rights, and contact information.
Sandy Husk, Superintendent
February 11, 2008
Page 5
CONCLUSIONS OF LAW AND DISCUSSION
PARENT RIGHTS
Salem-Keizer School District does not consistently provide an opportunity for parents of
middle school and high school students to discuss TAG services available and give
input to their student’s TAG program. Conferencing about TAG is expected to be part of
the regular parent-teacher conferences. Teachers provide parents with copies of the
course-level TAG plans at conferences and upon request, but do not consistently
identify what within the TAG plan will actually be provided for an individual student.
When the parent signs a student’s class schedule sheet, the district believes it has
provided the opportunity for parent discussion and input.
Salem-Keizer School District does not provide sufficient opportunity for middle school
and high school parents to
discuss their child’s TAG services with the District. Theregular parent conferences scheduled at the beginning of the school year are designed
to acquaint parents and teachers, but are not of sufficient length to allow for developing
a plan of instruction. Teachers indicate that they communicate with parents of TAG
students “as needed,” but there is no regularly scheduled opportunity to address parent
or student concerns.
Finding:
The Oregon Department of Education concludes that the Salem-KeizerSchool District is not providing an opportunity for parents to provide input and discuss
programs and services to be received by their children and is not in compliance with
OAR 581-022-1320(2).
APPROPRIATE INSTRUCTION
Salem-Keizer School District is not consistently providing instruction that addresses
individual TAG students’ assessed levels of learning and their accelerated rates of
learning. This constitutes a violation of OAR 581-022-1330. The secondary level TAG
Instructional Plan (course plans) list options that might be available to TAG students.
Students are allowed (whether TAG-identified or not; in almost all cases the Honors and
TAG options are identical) to select from the options offered without attention to the
individual student’s rate and level of learning. At one high school visited, only one
teacher interviewed knew the identification categories of his/her TAG students. Written
surveys and teachers interviewed from this school commented that “SASI [the district
student information system] doesn’t tell us that.” The result is that TAG identification is
generalized throughout the school classrooms with students identified as Academically
Talented in Mathematics given the same instruction and assignment options as
students identified as Academically Talented in Reading or Intellectually Gifted.
Sandy Husk, Superintendent
February 11, 2008
Page 6
During interviews, teachers used the terms “TAG” and “Honors” interchangeably,
indicating that they perceived these two groups of students as being essentially the
same. Giftedness was related to a student’s motivation. Teachers expressed the belief
that the Honors options and assignments are the default TAG program. If a TAG
student underachieves or does not pursue extra assignments and Honors enrollment,
his/her rate and level of learning are not addressed.
According to the TAG course plans, teachers rely upon State/District Assessment Data
and CIM tracker data as pre-assessments to establish a student’s rate and level of
learning. In mathematics, the previous math teacher’s recommendations and
observations and the
Math History Report are also consulted. While these reportsprovide some information about a student’s level of learning, it is not clear how these
reports establish a student’s rate of learning.
Many of the TAG plans examined do not specify the options available to TAG students.
The following are descriptions included in course plans collected at the schools visited:
•
“Assignment differentiation; enrichment; placement to higher level class, ifappropriate.”
•
“TAG students will have opportunities for independent inquiry and research,assignment modification/differentiation, enrichment projects in place of
assignments involving repetition.”
Parents and students indicated that differentiation options were made available only if
the student or parent insists. Student rate and level of learning was not consistently
assessed to determine appropriate instruction. Many times, teachers reported that they
allow students to choose whether they will do work that is different from the regular
class assignment. In several TAG course plans, it is noted that “students will have
choice of how to present research findings/topic choice within assignment perameters
[sic]” or “TAG students may request alternative assignments or projects which will
require a higher level of application of learned concepts.” The course plans did not
describe how this will meet rate or level needs of TAG students, particularly in the case
of the student choosing a less than appropriate method of presentation.
Students and parents indicate a concern about TAG students being given more work
rather than different work, and the TAG course plans, particularly in mathematics
classes, indicate the practice of offering TAG students more work: “enrichment
problems for extra credit,” “extensions of mathematical investigations,” “extensions of
regular problems.” The plans do not address the differentiation of the original
assignments and instruction.
Sandy Husk, Superintendent
February 11, 2008
Page 7
Teachers indicate that Honors, Advanced Placement, and International Baccalaureate
courses meet the needs of high school TAG students by virtue of their reputations for
rigor. Very little to no assessment of TAG students’ rate and level of learning occurs in
these classes to ensure that the instruction is indeed appropriate.
Accountability systems to ensure that administrators, TAG staff, and teachers provide
the instruction to which TAG-eligible students are entitled are not evident. The current
system is focused at the course level. Teachers list some possible modifications in the
TAG Instructional Plan, but implementation strategies are not evident or sufficiently
documented as to which modifications are provided to students. OAR 581-022-1330
requires that “the instruction provided to identified students shall address their assessed
levels of learning and accelerated rates of learning.” The generalized statements in the
TAG Instructional Plans do not specify how instruction will address the rate and level of
individual TAG students who come to the classroom with different TAG identifications
and with a variety of instructional needs.
Current district opportunities for teacher professional development show that some
teachers are receiving instruction in providing differentiated instruction for TAG
students. Data submitted to Oregon Department of Education by John Weeks, Director
of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, shows that Salem-Keizer School District in
2007-2008 has 498.24 FTE high school teachers and 366.49 FTE middle school
teachers. [Note: The district reports the number of teachers in terms of FTE. The
participants in activities conducted are reported in terms of individual participants.
Participants may have attended more than one activity.]
Table 1 shows informationprovided by the district TAG program staff to Oregon Department of Education for 2006-
2008. It charts professional development opportunities that have been provided for
teachers throughout the district. Information in the “% of District Teachers” column is
the approximate percentage of district middle and high school staff involved as
calculated by ODE staff.
Sandy Husk, Superintendent
February 11, 2008
Page 8
Table 1
Activity
Number ofParticipants
% of
District
Teachers
Summer Academy session “How to
Differentiate to Meet All Students’ Needs”
33 3.8%*
Year-long differentiation class for West
HS (1 South HS teacher participated)
23
8 took class for 3 credits
4.4%
Year-long differentiation class for teams
from high schools
22
(ECH--1, McKay--3, McNary--2,
North--6, South--4, Sprague--3,
West--3)
4.6%
“How to Write Instructional Course Plans”
training for new MS and HS teachers and
new TAG advocates
24 n/a
Individual schools and/or teams of
teachers trained in writing course plans
23
(West—12 math and ELA
teachers, North—8, Roberts—
3)
4.6%
HS & MS Department Chairs training in
Course Plan Writing and Pre-Assessment
to meet rate and level needs of the gifted
18 n/a
“Quick Adaptations for Differentiating”
training
40 in 2006-2007
58 in 2007-2008
19.6%*
Work with MS and HS teachers,
counselors, specialists, and TAG
advocates to write plans for individual
students at West, North, Stephens,
Houck, Judson, Walker, McKay,
Whiteaker, Crossler, Howard Street,
Parrish
15
(15 student plans resulted from
sessions)
n/a
All Advocate Trainings—4 70 per training n/a
New Advocate training 8 n/a
Bilingual/Title 1 training 30 n/a
ALEKS and Passkey-online trainings for
teachers, administrators, and parents
40 n/a
Advocates session with study skills brain
research specialist Teresa Massey
71 n/a
Session on Sternberg’s Intelligence
Model, sessions on Bloom’s and Learning
Styles and Learning Modalities, Social
Emotional Issues
42 8.42%
Glad Training related to the Gifted 30 6.02%*
Junior Great Book and Daybook training 15 (Whiteaker, Houck, Crossler) 4.09%**
* if all participants were MS or HS teachers
**of all middle school teachers
Sandy Husk, Superintendent
February 11, 2008
Page 9
Finding:
The Department concludes that the district does not have in place a systemthat ensures the provision of instruction that addresses TAG students’ assessed levels
of learning and accelerated rates of learning and is not in compliance with OAR 581-
022-1330 (2).
ORDER AND REQUIRED CORRECTIVE ACTION
In accordance with Oregon Revised Statute 327.103 (3), the Superintendent of Public
Instruction determines that Salem-Keizer School District is found conditionally standard.
Salem-Keizer School District must implement the district’s plan of improvement to bring
the Talented and Gifted program into compliance with Division 22 Standards. Salem-
Keizer School District has 90 days from the date of this letter to submit a plan to correct
all deficiencies. Upon acceptance of the plan of correction, the Salem-Keizer School
will have until the 2008-2009 school year to implement the plan and correct the
deficiencies.
To be in compliance, the district shall take the following corrective actions:
1. Assign responsibilities for corrective action processes and timelines to specific
individuals.
2. Establish a procedure for clear written notice on at least an annual basis to all
parents of TAG children concerning the parents’ rights to provide input to and
discuss with the District the TAG programs and services to be received by their
child. The procedure must ensure that the district offers an opportunity for parents
to provide input and to discuss their child’s TAG program with a representative of the
District (this can be a teacher, building TAG Advocate, building administrator, or
district TAG staff member).
3. Develop systems of accountability that ensure administrators, TAG staff and
teachers provide the appropriate instruction at rate and level or learning for TAG
students. Require all teachers to document:
a. the students assigned to them who are TAG identified and the
student’s identification category;
b. how the individual student’s rate and level of learning is determined in
the particular class; and
c. the differentiated instruction provided for the individual TAG student
that is based on the student’s level of learning and rate of learning.
Documentation need not be complex but it must be sufficient to allow
the District to monitor compliance with TAG requirements. Compliance
with the District’s documentation policy is one way to meet this
responsibility.
Sandy Husk, Superintendent
February 11, 2008
Page 10
RECOMMENDATIONS:
In addition to the findings and corrective action described above, the State
Superintendent makes the recommendations below. The recommendations in this
section are advisory and are not based on findings of noncompliance with legal
requirements.
1. Provide regular and sustained professional development for all middle school and
high school Salem-Keizer teachers in the following areas:
a. Formal and informal assessment;
b. Design and implementation of effective, research-based instructional
materials and strategies for talented and gifted students; and
c. Development of differentiated instruction for various levels of TAG-identified
students.
2. To facilitate better communication with students, parents, and other constituents, the
District TAG web site resources, hard-copy handbooks, pamphlets, and flyers should
be edited to include current Oregon Administrative Rule references and contact
information. The 2006 editions of materials submitted to Oregon Department of
Education include references to rule numbers that were changed in 1996. Materials
available from the district web site have out-of-date, by over 3 years, links and
contacts.
3. The district should help teachers explicitly communicate the ways that instruction is
being appropriately differentiated for TAG students in the regular classroom.
Parents and students should be aware of the differences between what the TAG
student is asked to do and what other students are assigned and how this
differentiation meets the TAG student’s particular rate and level of learning needs.
COMMENDATIONS:
ODE Staff observed some teachers who demonstrated mastery in assessing students’
rates and levels of learning and differentiated instruction that met individual TAG
student needs. In these classrooms, students are required to use higher-level thinking
skills, perform at increased levels of proficiency, and complete advanced work in a
content area.
ODE Staff appreciates the work of Salem-Keizer district-level and building-level staff to
accommodate ODE requests for meetings, building visits, and surveys in the interest of
completing this compliance investigation.
Sandy Husk, Superintendent
February 11, 2008
Page 11
If you have questions or concerns about the investigation, supporting data, or orders,
please contact:
Andrea Morgan, Education Specialist
Oregon Department of Education
255 Capitol St. NE
Salem, OR 97310-0203
(503) 947-5772
Sincerely,
Salam A. Noor, Ph.D.
Assistant Superintendent
Office of Educational Improvement
and Innovation
(503) 947-5649