Talented and Gifted (TAG)

MISSION STATEMENT: To serve gifted students with a program that addresses the individual’s unique level and rate of learning.

PHILOSOPHY: Gifted children as a group differ from others in learning ability: they learn faster and remember more and they tend to think more deeply about the subjects to which they are exposed. Because of these unique characteristics, the philosophy of Grants Pass School District No. 7 TAG program is that each and every student is of great value and has a right to maximum development. We believe that Talented and Gifted students exist in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups across gender. Gifted students require a differentiated program that takes into consideration individual learning styles and abilities. The program should also help students to develop self-esteem and important skills spanning independent study, research, and creative and critical thinking. The purpose of the program is to develop gifted students’ life-long learning skills. We strongly believe in challenging these students to develop their abilities not only for their own personal fulfillment but also for the benefit of society.

Adapted from - Howard Gardner, Irving Sato, Roger Taylor, Benjamin Bloom, Vern Jones, and Robert Marzano

PRACTICES:

• We conduct an ongoing search for students eligible for TAG services.
• We provide information to parents in a timely manner when a student is identified.
• We assess Level(s) and rate(s) of learning.
• We document instruction for assessed level(s) of learning and accelerated rate(s) of learning.
• We provide opportunities for parent input and regular communication among parents, school staff, and students.
• We commit to sharing responsibility among parents, school staff, and students to ensure desired educational outcomes.
• We offer appropriate service options for each student to work at assessed level(s) and accelerated rate(s) of learning. We provide opportunities for  interaction with other TAG students.

Click the document to enlarge the plan for Talented and Gifted Education.