What if PGCPS guaranteed a middle school TAG slot to all children who test TAG?

[Anonymous]

If the county increased the number of seats at middle school TAG magnets and would guarantee a slot for every TAG identified student, would you stay at your local elementary school?
I know several families who have said they only transferred their kids to the TAG elementary school magnet in order to ensure a slot at a TAG a middle school. So I wonder what would happen if they just increased the number of slots available. Would folks stay at their local public elementary schools through 5/6th grade?

There are LOTS of middle school that are seriously under-enrolled. Why couldn't PGCPS add more TAG middle school spaces so all TAG identified kids could get seats? Rather than have 1 TAG class per grade, have 2? If you look at the waiting list for TAG middle school lottery's, it seems like there is a demand for it.

If you had a guaranteed slot at a TAG middle school, would you send your kids to Glenarden Woods/Highland Park/Heather Hills etc? Or would you stay at your local ES?

[Anonymous]

I definitely think adding more TAG middle school seats would be a big improvement. That said, not all TAG Middle schools are that great. ANd middle schools that are under-enrolled are sometimes under-enrolled because no one wants to send their kids there. So just taking a crappy middle school and adding some extra TAG classes won't really entice parents.

[Anonymous]

Why not just create TAG centers for middle school?

[Anonymous]

There are TAG centers but many of them only have 1 or 2 classrooms of TAG students just like some of the elementary TAG centers. For example, Kenmoor Middle School is a TAG center but there is only 1 TAG class per grade. Greenbelt Middle School is also a TAG Center but it also houses non-TAG classrooms. It would be fantastic if they would convert an entire middle school to a TAG center but I think that would take a lot more momentum than just opening extra classes in the existing centers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are TAG centers but many of them only have 1 or 2 classrooms of TAG students just like some of the elementary TAG centers. For example, Kenmoor Middle School is a TAG center but there is only 1 TAG class per grade. Greenbelt Middle School is also a TAG Center but it also houses non-TAG classrooms. It would be fantastic if they would convert an entire middle school to a TAG center but I think that would take a lot more momentum than just opening extra classes in the existing centers.

I'm actually opposed to this. There are kids that are high achieving in one subject, but don't test into TAG and would benefit from
Being able to take higher level math classes with s cohort of other high achieving middle schoolers. The transportation costs (and time) of a regional TAG only center would be enormous. I don't see what's terrible about a kid being in a school that has both TAG magnet and would necessitate this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are TAG centers but many of them only have 1 or 2 classrooms of TAG students just like some of the elementary TAG centers. For example, Kenmoor Middle School is a TAG center but there is only 1 TAG class per grade. Greenbelt Middle School is also a TAG Center but it also houses non-TAG classrooms. It would be fantastic if they would convert an entire middle school to a TAG center but I think that would take a lot more momentum than just opening extra classes in the existing centers.

I'm actually opposed to this. There are kids that are high achieving in one subject, but don't test into TAG and would benefit from
Being able to take higher level math classes with s cohort of other high achieving middle schoolers. The transportation costs (and time) of a regional TAG only center would be enormous. I don't see what's terrible about a kid being in a school that has both TAG magnet and would necessitate this.

That's a really good point that I never even considered.
I just wish they would expand the seats at the existing MS centers so all TAG identified kids (or kids who are high achievers in a particular subject) who want to go there have the opportunity.

[Anonymous]

There are "TAG"/Honors classes at all of the Middle Schools, correct? I know at my child's middle school, all of the TAG identified students take honors classes together. There are at least two per grade.

[Anonymous]

I think that a lot of parents see TAG middle school as the best path away from their failing boundary middle school. My child goes to a highly ranked ES but the middle school is awful and there is no way I will send my kids there. Since the path from a TAG center ES to a TAG center MS is guaranteed, a lot of parents put their kids at the TAG ES even though they are happy at their boundary ES.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are TAG centers but many of them only have 1 or 2 classrooms of TAG students just like some of the elementary TAG centers. For example, Kenmoor Middle School is a TAG center but there is only 1 TAG class per grade. Greenbelt Middle School is also a TAG Center but it also houses non-TAG classrooms. It would be fantastic if they would convert an entire middle school to a TAG center but I think that would take a lot more momentum than just opening extra classes in the existing centers.

Your information is incorrect. Kenmoor Middle School has at least 5 TAG classes in 6th, 7th and 8th grade. There are also 7th and 8th grade non TAG classes. I don't know about Greenbelt Middle School but assume it is the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why not just create TAG centers for middle school?

We already have these Centers in Middle School. The problem is that there aren't enough seats there for every TAG-identified middle school student who wants to enroll.