Based upon your local school experiences, analyze the strengths and weaknesses of Fulton

County Schools' procedures for implementing Georgia Board of Education Rule 160-4-
2.38. (GEPO-S1, GEPO-S2, GEPO-D1, GEPO-D2, GEPO-D6)

In the Identification and Assessment class, we explicitly dealt with the Georgia Board of
Education Rule 160-4-2.38, which explains how schools are expected to serve gifted students.
This was by far the hardest class I took in the endorsement program. Not only was it the first
class I took but it was also the most foreign to me. I was tested into gifted in kindergarten and in
Illinois you get tested every year to make sure you are still considered gifted. I only ever
remember taking one test each year until high school when I moved to Alpharetta. Ann Scott
took us step by step through the different rules, regulations, and procedures in order to correctly;
screen, refer, test, and find students eligible for TAG services.
Two major strengths jumped out at me while taking this certification course. One of the
major strengths that Fulton County has is that each school screens students twice a year, every
year. In the fall the TAG coordinator along with the eligibility team look at the students scores
on standardized and/or criterion-referenced tests like the ITBS and CRCT. The tests are reviewed
to determine if a student qualifies to be referred to testing. If a student does not meet the criteria
in the fall, teachers have the opportunity to further exam their students through the CISS
(Characteristics Instrument for Screening Students) process. The CISS process asks teachers of
all areas regardless of special education or TAG classes, to look for ten characteristics in their
students. During our discussions, the students in my class seemed to have a pretty good
understanding that the characteristics can be portrayed in a negative or positive way. The CISS
process lasts for a period of two weeks and every teacher in the school must fill out a CISS form.
They do not have to write any students down but they do have to return the form. My TAG
Coordinator actually allowed me to do the CISS presentation to the 7
th
grade team. A few people
who were new to Fulton were extremely confused. Some teachers had never heard of the CISS
process while others said that was only for the on-level and TAG teachers that special education
students could not be twice exceptional. It was nice to be able to take what I learned from this
testing course as well as the characteristics class and be able to debunk the myths they believed.
The second strength that I think Fulton County should be extremely proud of is the variety of
tests we offer in order to properly identify all students. The TAG office has done a great job of
offering schools different tests in order to do what is best for the student. For example, if a
student has very limited English proficiency then the TAG coordinator can offer the young child
the Naglieri test. Fulton County is a leader in testing differentiation (Giessman, Gambrell, and
Stebbins 2013).
As far as weakness that Fulton County has, I have identified one major that we can
improve on. First, I was baffled learning that in elementary school students are pulled out once a
week and spend all day in a TAG class with a TAG teacher, usually learning about social studies
or science. I teach middle school and this is my first year teaching TAG classes but our classes
are academic based and students have to maintain an 80% or higher in their TAG classes in
order to be served in that TAG class. If a student fails to maintain that grade, they are placed on
probation and then at the end of the year during the TAG annual review, the entire eligibility
team meets in order to decide the placement for the child. The sixth grade teachers complain
constantly that the students coming into middle school are not prepared for the amount of work
or rigor a TAG class requires. I now understand that there is a difference between harder and just
more work and that TAG is not just for smart kids, it is for kids who learn differently. Then the
students go from TAG classes where they are in class with students are also identified as being
gifted into high school classes with students of all abilities and levels. Students in high school
can take different honors, AP, IB, or accelerated courses depending on what the student and
parent wants. I do not think that there are enough pathways for students of all interests and
abilities. There are people who would argue that there are a lot of different classes for students to
take depending on their interests in high school. Considering there is a ladder of classes that
students need to take to get into some of those classes, I would disagree. For example, I was
talking to some of my cheerleaders, I coach at Centennial High School, and they were
complaining one night that they could not take the sculptures class they were interested in
because they had to take three other introductions to art classes, which did not appeal to them.
They then decided to change their pathway to something boring but easy. If you were to
study Fulton Countys elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools, separately, I am
not sure there would be much consistency. Therefore it is my opinion that Fulton County needs
to work on its differentiated curriculum.
This endorsement program has been one of the most helpful and influential in my
teaching career thus far. Due to the program, I was afforded the opportunity to participate in
different TAG meetings and events. From observing testing, administering tests, eligibility
meetings and TAG annual reviews, I received a new education. Prior to enrolling in the
TAG endorsement program, I had only administered the CRCT. Now I have administered
the Stanford, CogAT, and Torrents. The CogAT was by far the hardest test to watch the
students take. Their frustration levels were rising due to the difficulty of the questions and
then due to the ten minute time limit. The Torrents and the Stanford were much easier. The
students seemed to have fun and were more relaxed. Eventually I was able to grade the 7
th

and 8
th
grade CogAT tests. It was frustrating trying to putting the answer sheet on top of the
scantron and trying to figure out what was right and what was wrong. Hopefully in the
future the TAG office will put scoring tests into the budget.



Giessman, Jacob A., James L. Gambrell, and Molly S. Stebbins. "Minority Performance on the
Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test, Second Edition, Versus the Cognitive Abilities Test, Form 6 :
One Gifted Program's Experience." Gifted Child Quarterly 57.2 (2013): 101-09. 13 Mar. 2013.
Web. 30 May 2013.