1. 2016 Fall Parent Meeting TAG
Communication
Identification
Services
2016 Fall Parent Meeting
Welcome guests; acknowledge schools represented (individuals will be introduced in subsequent slides)
Thank you for coming tonight, etc. Our timeline is short for this big group because we want you to have time with your individual schools/principals.
TAG has three focuses: Identification=knowing who the talented and gifted students are in PPS or a particular classroom; services=meeting the needs of students in the classroom; and communication among schools and homes.
For Parents of TAG Identified Students and
Those Who Are Interested in Learning About TAG

2. Goals of Our Time Together
Present information on…
Identification timelines
Building plans
Instructional strategies for all students
Individualized TAG plan-requests
District structure for services
These are our goals are for our big group. We will devote time to each of these during our presentation.

3. Important Dates
This year ALL 2nd graders will have the opportunity to complete the CogAT full battery. Nominations for math and reading are still necessary for this grade level. Testing will occur during the month of October.
Deadline for TAG Identification Process Forms to TAG Office – November 17, 2016
TAG Testing by Cluster- November, 2016-February, 2017
Complete the K-8 Student Survey and return to teacher as soon as possible.
These are the district deadlines we have for the TAG identification process. The exact dates will appear in school newsletters and on the TAG Bulletin Board as well as on the Agenda for this evening.

4. TAG ID process
Use Nomination and Placement Form (IDPF) to recommend a PPS K-12 student for TAG identification
The parent and teacher fill out the front of the form. TAG Facilitator completes the rest.
School submits this form to the PPS TAG Department by November 17, 2016
Testing is completed according to the Cluster Calendar
Once the test results have been sent to the school, the school will review criteria and make an identification for eligibility to the PPS TAG Office
The school makes the final determination. Letters are sent to notify families of eligibility from the PPS TAG Office as soon as possible.
Parents, teachers and or schools recommend students; parents need to sign giving permission to test; copies can be available online or at your site.
2. Parent and Teacher Observations­: Advocacy Information, teacher fills out the test history and work sample information
3. TAG Office arranges for students to be tested in the schools during the test date window Dec-March. This is done regionally. Which test is given is based on the information given on the IDPF. Attention to the Area/s for assessment and Social and Emotional considerations is very important.
4. Schools have TAG Committees that review all the criteria gathered on the IDPF in order to make a recommendation to the TAG Office
5. Final determination will be communicated within 4-6 weeks following testing

5. Your School’s 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, depth and complexity
Responsibility of TAG Facilitator
Professional Development for staff
Communication with parents and students
You will have a chance to discuss the School TAG Plan in the break-out sessions. All schools have a building plan that communicate how teachers will meet the needs of their TAG students. In addition to the building plan, there are a handful of schools who still write individual plans. Check with your school to see if your teachers will be writing individual plans for your child.

6. What Questions Should I Ask About My Child’s Instruction
What can you tell me about my child’s rate and level of learning?
How does my child demonstrate learning expectations?
Do you use pre/post assessments?
What opportunities will my child be given to learn with other students who have similar rates and levels of learning?
How will you communicate the strategies used to address my child’s rate and level of learning?
These are examples of questions you can ask your child’s teacher when discussing the instruction your child is receiving. They are also questions you can ask in the preparation of the Individual TAG Plan.

7. What is “Level” and “Rate”?
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 (includes complexity)
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
A student’s rate of learning will vary depending on: subject; point in the learning process; degree of interest to the student; level of difficulty of the material; and/or learning style of the student.

8. Strategies teachers may use to address a student’s rate and level of learning
Flexible grouping
Tiered lessons
Cross-grade grouping
Curriculum acceleration
Compacting
Independent Study
Cluster Grouping
High level questioning

9. When might I request an Individual TAG Plan?
After communicating with your child’s teacher, if you still have questions concerning the rate and/or level of instruction/assignments
You need greater clarity about the TAG services provided in the school or by a specific teacher
Parents may request an Individual Instructional Plan (IIP) at any time. The IIP template is available on PPS Connect.
Teachers then have 30 days in which to write that plan.

10. TAG Professional Development
Teachers will participate in ongoing professional development to support their work and students who have been identified
The Department of Talented and Gifted Education endeavors to provide multilayers of professional development.
You can discuss the Building TAG Plan at the breakout session

11. What Do I Do If I Have a Concern About My Child’s Needs?
Consult the teacher
Complete the K-8 Student Survey and return to your teacher
Consult the TAG Facilitator if you feel your questions have not been answered by the teacher
Schedule a meeting with the school’s principal
Consult the TAG Office for additional support
Check the TAG Department’s web page for resources
Your first contact should always be with the teacher. If after having spoken with the teacher, you still have concerns, feel free to contact the principal. If after those two contacts, you continue to have questions and/or concerns, the PPS TAG office can be a resource.

12. District TAG Support Andrew Johnson
Director of Talented and Gifted Education K-12
Kristin Johnson
Sr. Administrative Secretary
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TAG TOSA’s
Palmyra McLellarn – Benson/Alliance/Charters, Franklin, and Jefferson
Kim Bertelsen – Cleveland and Lincoln
Tessalie Schulte – Grant and Wilson
Noel Tamez – Roosevelt and Madison