Talented and Gifted (TAG) Program

Program Information

The Prince George’s County Public School System has developed a comprehensive instructional program for its intellectually gifted students beginning in the second grade and extending through high school. TAG services are offered in all schools. Students who qualify for the TAG program may choose to participate in the program at their boundary school or to submit an application to attend one of the Talented and Gifted Center Schools. The TAG programs in both the boundary and TAG Centers Schools are designed to meet the unique and specialized needs of highly able students.

Definition

Talented and Gifted (TAG) students, as presently defined by the U.S. Department of Education and the Maryland State Department of Education, are those students identified by professionally qualified persons who, by virtue of outstanding abilities, are capable of high performance. These are children who require differentiated educational programs and/or services different from those provided by the regular school program in order to realize their contribution to self and society. These include students of high performance who have shown potential for and/or demonstrated abilities in any of the following:

• General intellectual ability
• Specific academic aptitude
• Creative productive thinking
• Leadership ability; and
• Ability in visual or performing arts

The major focus of the Talented and Gifted Program (TAG) in all Prince George's County Public Schools is meeting the needs of students in the first category, general intellectual ability. Special consideration is given during the identification process to students with specific academic aptitudes, creative productive thinking abilities, and task commitment.

Program Objectives

Prince George's County Program for Talented and Gifted Students (TAG) is designed to meet the needs of the identified TAG student population in all schools by meeting the following objectives:

• to provide regularly scheduled opportunities for students to meet with intellectual peers
• to provide appropriate research-based gifted education services
• to provide a learning environment in which instructional strategies appropriate to the unique learning characteristics of the intellectually gifted are utilized
• to provide differentiated instruction and curriculum in order to increase student achievement and performance
• to provide acceleration and enrichment opportunities to TAG students in order to increase student achievement and performance
• to recognize and provide for the social and emotional needs of TAG students
• to provide comprehensive professional development opportunities for teachers of TAG students

Identification Procedures

Students are identified for inclusion in the Talented and Gifted (TAG) Program following specific procedures. Several basic concepts are incorporated in the identification procedures including:

• global screening - all students are tested in grades 1 and 3
• multiple criteria - selection for the TAG Program is based on assessment of a variety of objective and subjective factors which are aligned to and meet the National
• Association of Gifted Children Exemplary Standards multiple opportunities– all students in grades one and three are tested as the initial phase of the screening process; new registrants may also be screened in grades 2, and 4 through 7
• identification guidelines - academic guidelines and guidelines for identifying diverse populations are provided
• committee recommendation - a group of school-based professional educators review and analyze all available data regarding placement recommendations and submit documentation to the TAG Office for review and final determination
• rescreens - yearly TAG rescreens are initiated and monitored by the TAG Office

Services

TAG services are offered in all schools. Students who qualify for the TAG program may choose to participate in the program at their attendance area school OR to submit a Specialty Program Lottery Application to attend the Talented and Gifted Center Program. The TAG programs in both the attendance area and TAG Center schools are designed to meet the unique and specialized needs of highly able students.

Templeton Elementary School Pull-Out Program

In the Pull-Out program TAG students meet for two hours a week to work on activities outlined in the TAG curriculum guides under the supervision of a teacher trained in delivering the curriculum. At the primary level (grades 2 & 3) the thematic TAG curriculum alternates every other year. At the intermediate level (grades 4, 5, & 6) the thematic TAG curriculum alternates on a three-year cycle. These plans ensure that students will not repeat any of the content and that a sequence of skills is developed.

Program Components

• meeting together once a week for a minimum of 1.5 hours (grades 2-3) and 2 hours (grades 4-6)
• maintaining separate groups for primary (grades 2 & 3) and intermediate (grades 4, 5 & 6) students
• implementing primary and intermediate thematic, interdisciplinary curricular units that rotate on a 2 or 3 year cycle respectively
• inclusion of higher level, creative, and critical thinking skills
• emphasis on advanced research and study skills
• providing guided independent study opportunities
• Junior Great Books Discussion Program offering off-site educational, scientific, and artistic enrichment opportunities