Another post from Scholle Sawyer McFarland, TAGAC Chair:
FYI, the TAG department has changed the qualifying score for "TAG Potential" to 85%. TAG Potential students have the same rights to TAG services as TAG Identified students do.
http://www.pps.k12.or.us/schools/gray/1307.htm:
http://www.pps.k12.or.us/schools/gray/1307.htm:
Dear Principals and TAG Facilitators,
Thank you for all your continued support of Talented and Gifted Education.
1. I have consulted with Jane Clarenbach, the Director of Public Education at the National Association for Gifted Children, and she has stated the small differential gap of 96-97th percentile between identified and potential does not make sense. The critical question is around how we are developing the potential of students within a difference of 1-2 percentile. If a child is in the top 85th percentile, how do we NOT support that child regardless of a process is a question that is asked frequently. If you think about kids on a number line from 1-100, there would be 84 children behind a child who norms at the 85th percentile. This child still has needs that may need attention. These are valid questions to think about.
2. Dr. Webb, who has been recognized as one of the 25 most influential psychologists nationally on gifted education, recently presented at OATAG in Portland. Included in this email on page 3, you will see that even though many districts see potential or identification as the top 3%, in reality it is best practice to consider the top 10%. Perhaps, this group is the better representation of the potential in a population. Potential should not really be measured in such a small gap nor perhaps TAG identification for that matter.
3. Potential is difficult to recognize in a 1-2 percentile difference. This is a matter of 1 or 2 questions on an assessment.
4. We have not historically been intentional about recognizing and developing giftedness. This extremely narrow gap prevents us from being successful in this endeavor.
5. We are way over identifying in reading and math because of access and life experiences for children The IOWA reading and math for Kinder and First is especially easy for kids who are early readers or have math skills. This is an issue we will need to address at some point. Over 50% of Kinder and First Graders who were nominated in the past for reading and math qualified for TAG. This does not make sense.
6. This extremely narrow gap between the 95-97th percentile perpetuates the historical narrative of gifted education in our community and does not allow us to progress as we seek for a broader expression of giftedness and the more deliberate attention to developing talent and giftedness K-12.
7. The re-nomination process has been open for many years to parents and teachers, regardless of the percentile for potential. This could be the 85th percentile or 94th percentile for example. If a child did not reach the threshold last year, they theoretically could apply again. We do not presently have a mechanism to stop this.
8. We will move forward this year. This is not retroactive. As we continue to progress as a community we will need to be adaptive, flexible, and understanding.
Thank you for all you do!
Best,
Andrew Johnson
Director of K-12 Talented and Gifted Education
PPS
Director of K-12 Talented and Gifted Education
PPS
