TAG Information Night: Identification, Communication, and Services

1. Identification Communication Services FALL PARENT TAG INFORMATION NIGHT For Parents of TAG Identified Students and Those Who Are Interested in Learning About TAG

2. Goals of Our Time Together • Introductions • Present information on… • Areas of nomination and identification • Identification process • Important Dates • TAG Law • TAG Defined • Instructional strategies for all students • Building plans • Individualized TAG plan-requests • District structure for services

3. AREAS OF NOMINATION AND IDENTIFICATION • Intellectual (NNAT3) • Math (grades K-3 ITBS, grades 4th-11th SBAC or MAP (2019-20 only) • Reading (grades K-3 ITBS, grades 4th-11th SBAC or MAP (2019-20 only)

4. TAG IdentificationProcess • The parent and teacher fill out the front of the Nomination/Permission (IDPF) form, to recommend a PPS K-12 student for TAG testing/identification. TAG Facilitator completes the rest. Need parent signature to test. • Parents submit this form to the classroom teacher by November 26th. • Proctors will work with schools to schedule assessment dates. • Schools make the final identification decisions after receiving scores. • Letters are sent to notify families of eligibility from the PPS TAG Department: 2nd grade Intellectual tests and 4th-11th grade MAP/SBAC tests (from previous Spring) will be notified in December; all other K-12 nominations notified in Spring

5. Important Dates • For the 2019-20 school year only (transition year), students who qualified with a Spring 2019 MAP or SBAC score are notified by October, and a Nomination/Placement Form will need to be completed by family and classroom teacher, and submitted to building TAG Facilitator by November 26, 2019. • The FINAL Deadline for ALL Nomination/Placement Forms (IDPFs) is NOVEMBER 26, 2019 • All other TAG Nomination Testing will occur. . . January 2020 - February 2020

6. Overview of the Law: What is the TAG Mandate? The Mandate: Talented and Gifted Education Act 1987 Oregon Revised Statute: 343.407, 409: Identification of talented and gifted students. “School districts shall identify talented and gifted students enrolled in public schools under rules adopted by the State Board of Education.” “School districts shall provide educational programs or services to talented and gifted students enrolled in public schools under rules adopted by the State Board of Education.”

7. Oregon Talented and Gifted Definition Talented and gifted students are those children who require special educational programs or services, or both, beyond those normally provided by the regular school program in order to realize their contribution to self and society and who demonstrate outstanding ability or potential in one or more of the following areas: (a) Intellectual ability; (b) Unusual academic ability in reading or mathematics.

8. Portland Public Schools Definitions for TAG • TAG Identification (official identification, will receive services): • Defined as a group of students who demonstrate an exceptional ability in a particular area. Per Federal regulation, these students have scored between the 97th and 99th percentile meaning that they are performing at the highest level in comparison to their peers. • TAG Potential Identification (official identification, will receive services): • Defined as a group of students who demonstrate an advanced or even exceptional ability in a particular area. Through the use of an assessment tool and process, PPS may identify students who have potential to perform at high levels either in talent or giftedness.

9. West Sylvan Educational Programs and Services • MYP - Middle Years Program (Pre-IB) • Rigorous school-wide curriculum • International mindedness • Concept-based learning • Inquiry model • Creativity, community action, independent research • Recommended by the National Association of Gifted Children designed to meet the needs of TAG students

10. West Sylvan Educational Programs and Services • ELECTIVES/Core STEAM Classes - 6th (Engineering) 7th/8th (Bio-Science/Tech.) • 6th Grade Journalism, Creative Writing, Strategy Games • 8th Grade Ethics • Spanish Immersion • Math Acceleration systems - based identified rate and level needs • Speech & Debate • Afterschool Programming • Geography Bee • Spelling Bee • Robotics • Science Fair • We need support with this! If you have a passion for science, talk to us about helping out

11. West Sylvan Educational Programs and Services • In our building: • 293 total TAG identified students (840 total students) • 89 6th graders • 104 7th graders • 100 8th graders • More than ⅓ of each grade level

12. What is “Rate” and “Level”? • Rate of learning is a measure of the pace at which a student successfully progresses through the curriculum after being placed at the appropriate level • Level of learning is the student’s instructional level in the curriculum: the place where the student will be successful, but will encounter knowledge and skills he or she has not yet learned or mastered

13. Strategies to Address a Student’s Rate and Level of Learning May Include: • Flexible Grouping • Tiered Lessons • Curriculum Acceleration • Compacting • Independent Study/Project • High Level Questioning

14. West Sylvan Middle School Building TAG Plan • Communicates how the school will address the learning environment and how the school plans to consider the needs of Talented and Gifted Education. • Identification • Identify how the school will meet the rate and level of instruction • Responsibility of TAG Facilitator • Professional Development for staff • Communication with parents and students

15. When Might I Request An Individual TAG Plan? • If….after a parent/teacher meeting, you still have questions concerning the rate and/or level of instruction/assignments. • If....you need greater clarity about the TAG services provided in the school or by a specific teacher.

16. Communication • Ongoing dialogue with teachers, building TAG Facilitators, and the Principal • TAG Bulletin Board in each school • Newsletters/websites from classroom teachers and school • TAG Family email distribution lists • PPS.NET/TAG

17. TAG Transfer • Are you new to the district? • You can transfer your child’s TAG status by providing proof of TAG status and the appropriate test scores. • Contact Laurel Richards to make the transfer process happen! • lrichards@pps.net

18. Who Do I Contact If I Have a Concern About My Child’s Needs? • Check the TAG Department’s web page www.pps.net/tag for resources • Consult your child’s teacher • Consult the TAG Facilitator at your school if you feel your questions have not been answered by the teacher • Laurel Richards: lrichards@pps.net • Schedule a meeting with the school’s administrator • Ben Keller: bkeller@pps.net • Consult the TAG Office 503-916-3358 for additional support

19. District TAG Support • Linda Smith, Director of Talented and Gifted Education K-12 • TAG TOSAs • Chris Smith- Grant and Jefferson clusters, Lincoln HS, Cleveland HS • Palmyra McLellarn – Benson HS, Franklin, Madison, and Wilson clusters, Alliance • Kim Bertelsen – Cleveland, Lincoln, and Roosevelt clusters, Pioneer WWW.PPS.NET/TAG

20. Thank you for attending!