The Extension Strand is one of three in the Davenport Community Schools Talented & Gifted Program (TAG), designed to meet the different, individual needs of students in the program.

Identification Process
It is essential to remember that students selected for TAG services are not selected as a reward for either good performance or model behavior, but because they have special needs. Therefore, the major goal of the identification process is to apply comprehensive and unbiased procedures to find students who possess superior abilities and/or potential in the areas of general intellectual ability and specific ability aptitude.

Students in kindergarten through 12th grade will be identified through the use of multiple criteria, which include results from standardized tests such as the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills, Iowa Tests of Educational Development, Degrees of Reading Power, and Cognitive Abilities tests. Also included are classroom performance, parent/guardian input, general education teacher input, student (self) nomination, and out-of-level testing that is both standardized and curriculum-based).

Primary Grades (Kindergarten through 2nd Grade)

• Nomination – At least one of the following is used to nominate primary students: general education teacher reports on gifted behaviors observed, parent/guardian reports on gifted behaviors observed, general education teacher implementation of lessons developed by the TAG Department while TAG facilitator observes student(s) in general education classroom, TAG facilitator conducting individual or small-group assessments with such instruments as Sages and Ravens.
• Screening – All data will be carefully considered by the screening team that may include: general education teacher(s), TAG facilitator(s), reading specialist, counselor, principal, and, as needed Area Education Agency staff. The specific abilities and needs of each student will be considered individually, and no one piece of data will exclude a student from being identified.
• Placement – Students who demonstrate potential when compared with others of their age and require additional differentiated programming will be placed.

3rd through 5th Grades
Students who have not been previously identified in kindergarten through second grade may be identified in third through fifth grades.

• Nomination – At least one of the following is used to nominate students: general education teacher reports of gifted behaviors, parent/guardian reports of gifted behaviors, TAG facilitator observation of student(s) in general education classroom, TAG facilitator screening standardized testing data available.
• Screening – All data will be carefully considered by the screening team that may include general education teacher(s), TAG facilitator(s), reading specialist, counselor, principal, and, as needed Area Education Agency staff. The specific abilities and needs of each student will be considered individually, and no one piece of data will exclude a student from being identified.
  
• Placement – Students who demonstrate potential when compared with others of their age and require additional differentiated programming will be placed.

6th through 12th Grades
While it is expected that students will be identified by the end of fifth grade, students who have not been previously identified may be identified in 6th through 12th grades.

• Nomination – At least one of the following is used to nominate students: general education teacher reports of gifted behaviors, parent/guardian reports of gifted behaviors, student (self) nomination, TAG facilitator observation of student(s) in general education classroom, TAG facilitator screening standardized testing data available.
• Screening – All data will be considered by the screening team that may include general education teachers, TAG facilitator(s), counselor, principal, and, as needed, Area Education Agency staff. The specific abilities and needs of each student will be considered individually, and no one piece of data will exclude a student from being identified. In addition, transfer students from outside the district who were in another gifted program will provide participation documentation for consideration by the screening team. TAG facilitators will work closely with intermediate and high school counselors when new students who have a gifted profile enroll in the school.
• Placement – Students who demonstrate potential when compared with others of their age and require additional differentiated programming will be placed.

Personalized Education Plans
Individualized Personalized Education Plans (PEPs) are developed for identified students in the Extension Strand. The TAG facilitator will coordinate the review of each plan annually. The student, parent/guardian, and other professional staff members may be part of this review.

The plan includes relevant background data, assessment of present needs and projection of future needs, a chronology of all TAG services provided, nature and extent of present services, and indirect services as appropriate.

The student and his or her parent/guardian may end student participation in the program at any time.

Upon routine review of each student, the TAG facilitator, working with a building team to determine that a student’s needs no longer exceed those of the general education program, may recommend the student exit the TAG Program.