Parents Lobby for TAG Funding at Budget Hearing

Eleven parents and community members urged the PPS School Board to adequately support TAG services at the Budget Hearing on May 17, 2016.

Speakers focused on topics including:

• The lack of TAG services at neighborhood schools and the effect this has on children, especially those without persistent and vocal advocates
• The inequity of requiring parents to drive students to math class every day in 5th and 8th grade if their students are accelerated using the district’s revised Single Subject Acceleration in Mathematics policy
• The lack of support for “twice exceptional” students who are both TAG identified and have special education needs
• The need to bring PPS closer to the state average for TAG spending. The Oregon Association for Talented and Gifted calculates that PPS spent $32.27 per TAG student in 2013-14—the last year they have data for—less than a quarter of the state average. 
• The lack of space for qualified students at ACCESS Academy alternative program

See speakers’ testimony here:

Naomi Derner (Alameda parent)

Scholle McFarland (Alameda/ACCESS parent, TAG parent Advisory Council chair) and Kirsten Solberg (Irvington parent)

Logan Kleier (Beaumont/ACCESS parent) and Helen Kilber (Sabin parent)

Natalie Hval (Buckman parent)

J. R. Grab (Rosa Parks parent)

Chris Sameck (Chapman parent)

Margaret DeLacy (Oregon Association for Talented and Gifted, Vice President)

Jessica Colby (ACCESS Parent)

Mark Feldman (ACCESS parent, former TAGAC chair)