Talking Points

• The acronym TAG -- "talented and gifted" -- is an outdated and grossly misleading phrase. What we are really referring to when we say "TAG student" is a student who is performing at or above (often well above) grade level, one who needs a "next level of challenge" that is beyond the regular classroom curriculum ."
  
• It is a myth that all TAG kids are white and rich.
• It is a myth that all TAG kids have very high IQ's (e.g., 180 and above).
• It is a myth that those kids will do "just fine" no matter what the District has to offer them.
• By the District's own estimate, approximately 5000 students (20% of all MMSD students) are served by the TAG budget.  (The District's special education budget also serves about 5000 students.)
• As our curriculum continues to be watered down, the percentage of students needing additional challenge beyond what is offered in the classroom will likely increase.
• Not even the most masterful teacher can successfully differentiate and implement a curriculum that spans five or more grade levels.
• We do not honor diversity by pretending that all students have the same academic and instructional needs.
  
• The District has been in noncompliance with Standard t since 1990.
• As TAG services continue to deteriorate, we risk losing these students to private schools and home schooling.  (This would be unfortunate because many of their parents are the ones who run our PTO's, contribute money to school fundraisers and school board campaigns, etc.)
  
• As teenagers, TAG students exhibit some of the highest rates of depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders and suicidality.
• Nationally, the dropout rate for TAG high school students is estimated to be 18-22%.
• As the research shows, when high-end learning opportunities erode, the students who suffer the most are those academically talented students who come from poverty because their families cannot provide for them the enrichment opportunities they need in order to develop their talents and abilities to the fullest.
• The evidence is clear: in order to survive (much less thrive), TAG students need to spend a large portion of their school day with same-ability peers.
• It is neither elitist nor lazy of us to want to see our own children and all children motivated to grow into their "zone of proximal development" (the place where subjects and processes are just challenging enough to keep them reaching). 
  
• Every child needs to be challenged at an appropriate level -- "dumbing down" instruction is not the answer for any of the children, whether they have special learning challenges, are "average" or "typical" in any given area, or are considered gifted and talented.  
  
• Rather than leaving no child left behind, all children deserve the opportunity to move ahead.

• Please send us additional points to add to this list.