342.3

IDENTIFICATION FOR TALENTED AND GIFTED (TAG) PROGRAMMING

The Appleton Area School is committed to providing services to students who have been identified as capable of high performance in the areas of intellectual achievement and creativity. A continuum of services will be provided based on the needs of the learner, ranging from full time pullout, periodic pull-together, and classroom differentiation. Students will be identified for placement in TAG programming in accordance with established District guidelines.

Legal Reference:
Wisconsin State Statute 118.35

Cross Reference:
Identification for Talented and Gifted (TAG) Programming, 342.3-Rule

Adoption Date: March 10, 1997

Amended Dates: September 26, 2005 and April 13, 2015

342.3-Rule

IDENTIFICATION FOR TALENTED AND GIFTED (TAG) PROGRAMMING

Procedures

The District identification process is on-going and seeks to identify children K-12 for gifted programming regardless of sex, race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, creed, pregnancy, marital or parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or physical, cognitive, emotional or learning disability socio-economic level, achievement level, or cultural/linguistic diversity.

The District uses multiple criteria when identifying students. These criteria include but are not limited to parent/teacher/peer/self-referral, and other student information such as standardized test data, product evaluation, interviews, and/or observations.

The District formally identifies children in two areas:

• General Intellectual Ability
• Creative and Divergent Thinking

To best facilitate:

• a prompt start to TAG pull-together services for students;
• timely input for TAG identification;
• regular class list development for the coming school year; and
• uniform TAG identification practices

The following identification protocols have been adopted by the Appleton Area School District:

1. TAG referral forms will be available in all elementary and middle school offices, on the District website and from the TAG department.
2. TAG referral forms may be submitted at any time during the school year.
3. Students will be assessed at the first available opportunity following receipt of a referral.
4. TAG referrals received within the first month of the semester will ensure assessment during that semester.
5. TAG assessments will include, but are not limited to the following:
   • Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) – administered to all students in grades 1-9 by classroom teachers. Testing is typically done in fall and spring.
   • Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT) – administered to referred students by TAG teachers as needed.
   • Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) – administered to referred students as needed.
   • ACT/Explore Test – administered to referred students annually.
   • Torrance Test of Creative Thinking (TTCT) – administered to referred students in grades 1- 6 during each semester.
6. The TAG department will enter the names of all identified students into the District’s student data base.

Identification takes place throughout the school year for TAG programming. Students may enter TAG programming at the next available opportunity (i.e., unit, quarter, semester).

TAG staff will work with teachers to provide talent development experiences to students in kindergarten and first grade so that all students are identified with greater reliability regardless of sex, race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, creed, pregnancy, marital or parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or physical, cognitive, emotional or learning disability, socio-economic level, achievement level, or cultural/linguistic diversity.

Legal Reference:
Wisconsin State Statute 118.35

Cross Reference:
Identification for Talented and Gifted (TAG) Programming, 342.3

Adoption Date: March 10, 1997

Amended Dates: September 26, 2005 and April 13, 2015