TAG Identification and Screening

Overview

Talented and Gifted (TAG) Screening Information

• PGCPS students will participate in a universal testing screening process for talented and gifted identification in Grade 1 and 4.  Grade 1 student complete the Otis Lennon School Ability Assessment and Grade 4 students complete the Cognitive Ability Test (CogAT).  Additional criteria used in the screening process include achievement assessment data, teacher checklist of gifted characteristics, and report card grades.
• New registrants to PGCPS in grades 2, 3 and 5 will be tested.  Grade 2 and 3 students will complete the Otis Lennon School Ability Assessment and Grade 5 students will complete the Cognitive Ability Test (CogAT).
• Parents and Teachers may nominate students for TAG screening by January 15th.  School based TAG Coordinators will complete the screenings based on exisiting assessment data.  Assessment data is valid for 2 years.  
• Contact the TAG Coordinators or Middle School Professional School Counselor for screening.
• Test data is valid for 2 years and TAG Coordinators can screen students using valid assessment data. Students with valid test data will not be retested.
• TAG identification is a multiple criteria process including cognitive ability test data, achievement data, teacher checklist of gifted characteristics, and report card grades.
• Parents/guardians may apply to the TAG Center Program via lottery DURING the screening process. Students MUST be TAG identified in order to receive placement into the TAG Center Program.
• Test scores and TAG screening results will be sent home by the school.
• Please do not request test data from the TAG Office.  School based staff provide the test results.
• School-based TAG Coordinators will screen every student who scores 81 percentile or higher on the cognitive ability assessment.

Learning Development Strategies Parents Can Use at Home

TAG Instructional Services

Students identified for gifted services will participate in the neighborhood school gifted program (Pull-out Program or TAG in the Regular Classroom (TRC) Program). Parents/guardians also have the option of applying to the TAG Center Lottery for participation in a TAG Center Program. The TAG Center School Programs offer a full-day advanced, enriched, and intensive instructional program to meet the unique and specialized needs of highly able students. Specially selected and trained teachers provide instruction. A TAG Center placement depends on a space-availability in accordance with lottery guidelines and program location is based on the student’s address.