WELCOME TO THE TAG TESTING MEETING

OUR GOAL IS FOR YOU TO LEAVE FEELING COMFORTABLE ABOUT THE TAG TESTING EXPERIENCE.

What does Fulton County offer Gifted Students?

The Talented and Gifted program in Fulton County School System provides enriching experiences for the intellectually advanced and exceptionally creative student. Gifted services are available in all Fulton County Schools for students in kindergarten through grade 12. All procedures for identification and service of gifted students meet guidelines of Georgia Board of Education Rule 160-4-2-.38.

How Was My Student Identified?

Fulton County screens students for eligibility for gifted services twice a year. 1st screening- Fall Automatic Screening 2nd screening- Winter Classroom Screening Our goal is to identify as many students as possible for TAG. Entire school population is screened for TAG.

1st Screening Automatic Screening

At the beginning of the school year, TAG teachers review test scores. Standardized Tests- Students must have a minimum of an 85%ile and 90%ile in 2 of three areas: total math, total reading, and complete battery. CRCT- Students must score in the top 20 percent on the reading or mathematics section when compared to all other students in the system.

2nd Screening Classroom Screening

Local schools select a 2-week period in the winter to review all students in their school. Classroom teachers use the Characteristics Instrument for Screening Students (CISS) to identify students with superior abilities in 5 or more of the following areas: motivation, interests, communications skills, problem-solving abilities, memory, inquiry, insight, reasoning, creativity, and humor. Parents may request to view their childs screening results.

What Happens After Screening?

If your student meets the criteria for automatic screening or classroom criteria and has supporting data (test history, advanced/ accelerated classes, or products) they are referred for testing. The next steps are:

Parent receives Parent Notification for Testing

Consent Form

Student tests for the gifted program Parent receives test results If state eligibility is determined, students are placed in the TAG program.

How Long is the Testing Process?

Depending upon the age and needs of the student, testing will require one to four days of one hour sessions. Once tests are administered, eligibility will be determined and parents notified by the local school within 4 to 6 weeks. Automatic Screening: Students referred for testing will be tested September-October. All parents will be notified of eligibility by November 2009. Classroom Screening: will take place for a two-week period from January 5 -February 26, 2010. Each school will select the two-week period that best fits it overall school calendar. Students referred for testing will be tested January-March. All parents will be notified of eligibility by May 2010.

What Will My Student Be Testing on?

They will be tested in 4 areas:

Mental Ability: Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT), and/ or Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT). They must score in the = to or <96%ile on this test. It tests their quantitative, verbal, and non-verbal mental abilities. Creativity: Torrance Test of Creative Thinking (TTCT) They must score = to or <90%ile on this test. Achievement: Stanford Achievement Test (STAT-10) for grades K-2 and ITBS Test for grades 3-5. They must score = to or <90%ile on this test. Motivation: Gifted Rating Scales-Motivation (GRS-M). They must score = to or <90%ile on this test.

Testing Environment
Students will be pulled from their classroom and tested in the TAG room with other students from their grade level. Students will be asked how they are feeling on that day. Students will not be tested if they are not feeling well. We want them to do their best. If a student isnt feeling well we will test them on another day. We will never leave a test incomplete.

My Student Has Been Tested Now What?

Student must qualify in three of the four categories
Data Category Procedure 1
Student must qualify in three of the four categories

Procedure 2
Student must have a qualifying score in the mental ability AND achievement categories.
K-2 99th percentile composite score on a nationally normed mental ability test 3-12 96th percentile composite score on a nationally normed mental ability test

Mental Ability
(CoGat or Nagliari)

K-12 96th percentile composite OR appropriate component score on a nationally normed mental ability test

Achievement
(Stanford 10 or ITBS)

K-12 90th percentile Total Reading, Total Math, or Complete Battery on a nationally normed achievement test
K-12 90th percentile composite score on a nationally normed test of creative thinking OR Superior product/performance with a score 90 on a scale of 1-100, as evaluated by a panel of three or more qualified evaluators, indicated in K-5, products from teacher directed lessons

K-12 90th percentile Total Reading, Total Math, or Complete Battery on a nationally normed achievement test

Creativity
(TTCT)

Cont My Student Has Been Tested Now What? Date Category Motivation
(GRS-M)

Procedure 1
Superior product/performance with a score 90 on a scale of 1-100, as evaluated by a panel of three or more qualified evaluators, indicated in K-5, products from teacher directed lessons, or
OR K-5 90th percentile on a standardized motivational characteristics rating scale

Procedure 2

What Happens After Testing?

Parents will be notified by phone and will receive a DCI form that includes the students score in all tested areas. The form will state whether the child does or does not qualify for gifted services. Do not fret if your child does not qualify. We have other tests, products, and other items that could allow the student to be eligible for gifted services.

What Are The Benefits of TAG?

Intellectually gifted and exceptionally creative students have unique learning characteristics, interests, personal needs, and capabilities. The Fulton County Schools TAG program addresses these unique characteristics and needs by providing an opportunity for gifted students to interact with intellectual peers as they participate in classes that extend and enrich the basic curriculum. In elementary school, gifted students leave their regular classroom one day a week and receive instruction from the TAG teacher on units that extend and enrich the social studies and science curriculum. Once determined eligible, students will begin gifted services in the first semester of the school year.

Questions/ Comments
If you have any questions feel free to email me at harel@fulton.k12.ga.us Thank you all for coming and have a wonderful day!