Which MD districts are good for a GT elementary student?
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Anonymous
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Are there systems that work to meet the needs of young GT students?
What does this look like in action? I work in MCPS where this has basically been eliminated and I'm curious what county we might be able to move to for my child's needs to be met. (Not interested in debating if you think my child needs it or if it should exist, just interested to know how GT needs are met in other districts.) |
Anonymous
| I am looking into this myself. From my research PG is the most appealing to.me. they move GT kids to magnet in 2nd. Frederick County is phasing out elementary magnets and doing a school based approach. Howard County offers accelerated classes in every elementary school for GT kids starting in 4th grade. I have no personal experience with any of these programs but I am looking for my children now. |
Anonymous
| In PGCPS the best TAG magnet is probably Glenarden Woods ES but I hear that teachers there assign a lot of homework. It's more a program for advanced academics than a true TAG program and not necessarily great for 2e kids. |
Anonymous
They actually start pulling GT kids for enrichment in kindergarten |
Anonymous
| Who is they? Frederick or Howard? |
Anonymous
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In PGCPS, the G&T program is called Talented and Gifted (TAG).
They first test kids (OLSAT) in first grade and then will test automatically again in 3rd and by request in 5th. (this got screwed up because of the pandemic but my understanding is that they are trying to get back on schedule). If the student gets a 81% or higher and they are scored high enough on the teacher checklist, they are determined to be TAG and can either go to a TAG center or get TAG instruction at their regular school for 3 hours a week. There are two types of TAG centers at elementary level. 1) The entire school is a TAG center. These are Glenarden Woods and Heather Hills Elementary Schools. Both have very good reputations. The other TAG centers are schools within a schools. The TAG center your student will attend is based on your address. There are TAG middle school programs as well and they are also the school within the school models. The TAG curriculum at the elementary level is not really accelerated, it is just taught in a different model. A lot of projects and hands on learning. Some of the kids come into middle school and enter into 7th or 8th grade math but the vast majority of them do not. I have found that PGCPS teachers more readily offer parents the option to have their students skip a grade. I know at least 6 families who have been offered that which seems outside the norm. My kids have done TAG at their regular school and gone onto to TAG middle school programs. If TAG instruction is a high priority, you should go to the TAG center. The bus situation can be a pain so be prepared for that frustration. PGCPS has increased the number of seats in their TAG programs over the last 10 years and almost everyone who enters the lottery at elementary level gets a slot now. |
Anonymous
Howard |
Anonymous
| AACPS has the ALPs program starting in 3rd grade. It's not especially rigorous (my normal-smart kid is in ALPs for both math and reading and doing fine) but it's been a good change of pace for her. They don't do anything until the testing in 2nd grade. |
Anonymous
Yes re: Frederick. DC just got a very high COGAT score and I was so disappointed to see that Frederick didn’t have a real magnet program. I grew up in PH and was in TAG starting from Kindergarten. It was wonderful. |