School for the Talented & Gifted
Encyclopedia
The School for the Talented and Gifted at the Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center
(commonly referred to as TAG or TAG Magnet) is a public college preparatory magnet
secondary school
located in the Oak Cliff
area of Dallas
, Texas
(USA
). The school enrolls students in grades 9
-12
and is a part of the Dallas Independent School District
. It is known for its liberal arts
, Advanced Placement Program
intensive education style focused on students within a small scale learning environment. In 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010 Newsweek
named the school the #1 public high school in the United States.
The School for the Talented and Gifted was established in 1982 as part of a desegregation court order. Its curriculum was designed to provide a comprehensive academic program to serve identified talented and gifted students in grades nine through twelve. The school was originally located in west Dallas on the L.G. Pinkston High School campus. In the 1990s, DISD allocated money for a new "magnet center" as an experiment in accelerated high school education. This magnet center would house six different schools, each offering college-preparatory and pre-professional programs alongside a solid academic education. The TAG Magnet, along with five other magnet schools, moved to the new Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center
in the fall of 1995. Initially, TAG students were taught alongside the students at the other magnet schools, but after a TAG student uprising that included petitions, letters to the newspaper, pleas to the school board, peaceful protests including walk-outs, and other measures, TAG was given an increased number of self-contained classes and permission to have their own teaching staff that was specialized in talented and gifted teaching methods for the classroom. It was largely the graduating class of 1997 that fought for these changes.
.
at the TAG Magnet for the following year. A holistic, case-study approach is used by the screening committee, which is composed of the principal, the counselor, teachers, and community representatives. Multiple identification criteria are used in the screening process including academic transcripts, TAKS/ITBS scores, a behavioral assessment scale, a student portfolio, and anecdotal information. Careful attention is paid to pre-established guidelines to ensure that the student population is ethnically balanced.
The current enrollment of students reflects the culturally diverse fabric of the larger school district as best as it can following the repeal of the Desegregation Mandate by Judge Barefoot Sanders. The ethnic makeup of the school for the 2006-2007 school year is 41.8% White
, non-Hispanic, 28.4% Hispanic
, 23.9% Black
, 5.5% Asian/Pacific Islander
, and 0.5% American Indian
/Alaskan Native
.
The attendance rate for students at the school is 97.6%, compared with a state average of 95.5%. Of the 201 students at TAG 28.9% are economically disadvantaged, 0% enroll in special education, 100% enroll in gifted and talent programs, and 0% are considered "limited English proficient."
The average class sizes at TAG are 14.8 students for English
, 5.2 for foreign language
, 13.7 for math, 16.4 for science
, and 16.8 for social studies
.
. Of those teachers, 1.1% are beginning teachers, 18.6% have 1–5 years of experience, 24.1% have 6–10 years of experience, 20.6% have 11–20 years of experience and 35.6% have more than 20 years of experience.
The School for the Talented and Gifted requires the Advanced High School Program as described by the Texas Education Agency
(TEA) – this program is entitled the Distinguished Achievement Program (DAP), and it is the highest graduation program for Texas
.
The school then takes that program and makes it more demanding by including the Pre-AP and AP curriculum. The table below compares the two programs – both programs require 26 credits:
as a junior, and AP English Literature and Composition
as a senior. In addition, students are required to take a semester of Communication Applications (Speech) as a freshman and Independent Study English as a senior. The Texas Education Agency has made it mandatory that all TAG students in the state must submit an “Exit-Level Project” during their senior year – this project requires finding a mentor in the community, researching and developing the project, and submitting the finished project to a set of judges at the state level. The projects are graded on a “1” to “5” scale, with “5” being the highest. The student must score a “3” or higher to graduate with a “TAG” endorsement on their diploma. TAG's Independent Study English course is this exit-level project. In addition to the required courses, students have choices of the following electives: Debate and Humanities (World Studies/Philosophy).
Since there is a selection process used to gain admission to the TAG Magnet; and, since one of the definitions of a TAG student is a national-norm reading score of “80” or higher, the school does not have students who read below grade level. However, since TAG requires an AP course (AP Human Geography
) as freshman, the school does have students who do not read well enough to tackle a college-level course in their first year of high school. These students are referred to the Student Support Team (SST) for review. This leads to a parent-teacher-student conference attended by both the counselor and the principal. Parent, student, and teacher agree to work together as they check on progress achieved through tutoring hours before and after school. In some cases, additional projects are assigned to improve reading skills.
. In some cases, as is such with alumni of William B. Travis Academy, students will have completed both Algebra and Geometry
before even leaving middle school.
Typically, the majority of the class takes Geometry their freshman year. As an effect, students take Algebra 2 Pre-AP as sophomores, Pre-Calculus and AP Statistics
as juniors, and AP Calculus AB
as seniors. Students who enter the school without Algebra I credits will take both Algebra I and Geometry Pre-AP as freshman and then follow the aforementioned track until their senior year. If a student who has had both Algebra I and Geometry in their 7th and 8th grade years begins their math curriculum at TAG with Algebra II, they continue on to take Pre-Calculus as a sophomore, AP Calculus AB
and AP Statistics
as a junior, and AP Calculus BC
as a senior.
Other students choose to "fast track" their math courses taking Algebra 2 Pre-AP and Pre-Calculus Pre-AP as sophomores thus allowing them to take AP Calculus BC
as seniors. The school does have one math elective available for those advanced math students – Independent Study in Math. This course takes the students through Number Theory
and Linear Algebra
, as well as other topics they will encounter at the university level.
of the College Board
.
, Mu Alpha Theta
, National Honor Society
, English National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society
, and Science National Honor Society
.
(UIL) sponsored competitions including:
Accounting, Calculator Applications, Computer Applications, Computer Science, Cross Examination Debate
, Current Events and Issues, Editorial Writing, Extemporaneous Informative Speech, Extemporaneous Persuasive Speech, Feature Writing, Headline Writing, Lincoln-Douglas Debate
, Literary Criticism, Mathematics, News Writing, Number Sense
, One-Act Play, Poetry Interpretation, Prose Interpretation
, Ready Writing, Science
, Social Studies, Solo and Ensemble (Band, Choir, and Orchestra), Spelling and Vocabulary.
Academic Decathlon, Destination Imagination
, Math Olympiads, Mock Trial
, Robotics, Science Fair, Whiz Quiz, Ballet Folklorico, Chess Club, Cross-Country Club, Dallas Association of Minority Engineers (DAME), Gay and Straight Alliance (GASP), German Dance, Junior State of America
(JSA), Pan-American Student Forum (PASF), Student Council, Students Against Global Abuse (SAGA), Texas Area Model of American States (TAMOAS), Texas Association of Future Educators (TAFE), Youth for Global Improvement(YGI).
Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center
The Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center is a complex of schools in East Oak Cliff, Dallas, Texas.TMC is a single building campus that houses six semi-independent magnet high schools in the Dallas Independent School District...
(commonly referred to as TAG or TAG Magnet) is a public college preparatory magnet
Magnet school
In education in the United States, magnet schools are public schools with specialized courses or curricula. "Magnet" refers to how the schools draw students from across the normal boundaries defined by authorities as school zones that feed into certain schools.There are magnet schools at the...
secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
located in the Oak Cliff
Oak Cliff
Oak Cliff is a community in Dallas, Texas, United States that was formerly a separate town located in Dallas County; Dallas annexed Oak Cliff in 1903...
area of Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
(USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
). The school enrolls students in grades 9
Ninth grade
Ninth grade is the ninth post-kindergarten year of school education in some school systems. The students are 13 to 15 years of age, depending on when their birthday occurs. Depending on the school district, ninth grade is usually the first year of high school....
-12
Twelfth grade
Twelfth grade or Senior year, or Grade Twelve, are the North American names for the final year of secondary school. In most countries students then graduate at age 17 or 18. In some countries, there is a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all...
and is a part of the Dallas Independent School District
Dallas Independent School District
The Dallas Independent School District is a school district based in Dallas, Texas . Dallas ISD, which operates schools in much of Dallas County, is the second largest school district in Texas and the twelfth largest in the United States.In 2009, the school district was rated "academically...
. It is known for its liberal arts
Liberal arts
The term liberal arts refers to those subjects which in classical antiquity were considered essential for a free citizen to study. Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic were the core liberal arts. In medieval times these subjects were extended to include mathematics, geometry, music and astronomy...
, Advanced Placement Program
Advanced Placement Program
The Advanced Placement program is a curriculum in the United States and Canada sponsored by the College Board which offers standardized courses to high school students that are generally recognized to be equivalent to undergraduate courses in college...
intensive education style focused on students within a small scale learning environment. In 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010 Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
named the school the #1 public high school in the United States.
History
Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center
The Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center is a complex of schools in East Oak Cliff, Dallas, Texas.TMC is a single building campus that houses six semi-independent magnet high schools in the Dallas Independent School District...
in the fall of 1995. Initially, TAG students were taught alongside the students at the other magnet schools, but after a TAG student uprising that included petitions, letters to the newspaper, pleas to the school board, peaceful protests including walk-outs, and other measures, TAG was given an increased number of self-contained classes and permission to have their own teaching staff that was specialized in talented and gifted teaching methods for the classroom. It was largely the graduating class of 1997 that fought for these changes.
Campus
The School for the Talented and Gifted is housed in the south section on third floor of the Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet CenterYvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center
The Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center is a complex of schools in East Oak Cliff, Dallas, Texas.TMC is a single building campus that houses six semi-independent magnet high schools in the Dallas Independent School District...
.
Students
During the spring semester a screening process is initiated to place incoming students drawn from across the Dallas Independent School DistrictDallas Independent School District
The Dallas Independent School District is a school district based in Dallas, Texas . Dallas ISD, which operates schools in much of Dallas County, is the second largest school district in Texas and the twelfth largest in the United States.In 2009, the school district was rated "academically...
at the TAG Magnet for the following year. A holistic, case-study approach is used by the screening committee, which is composed of the principal, the counselor, teachers, and community representatives. Multiple identification criteria are used in the screening process including academic transcripts, TAKS/ITBS scores, a behavioral assessment scale, a student portfolio, and anecdotal information. Careful attention is paid to pre-established guidelines to ensure that the student population is ethnically balanced.
The current enrollment of students reflects the culturally diverse fabric of the larger school district as best as it can following the repeal of the Desegregation Mandate by Judge Barefoot Sanders. The ethnic makeup of the school for the 2006-2007 school year is 41.8% White
White people
White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
, non-Hispanic, 28.4% Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
, 23.9% Black
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
, 5.5% Asian/Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islander , is a geographic term to describe the indigenous inhabitants of any of the three major sub-regions of Oceania: Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia.According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, these three regions, together with their islands consist of:Polynesia:...
, and 0.5% American Indian
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
/Alaskan Native
Alaska Natives
Alaska Natives are the indigenous peoples of Alaska. They include: Aleut, Inuit, Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian, Eyak, and a number of Northern Athabaskan cultures.-History:In 1912 the Alaska Native Brotherhood was founded...
.
The attendance rate for students at the school is 97.6%, compared with a state average of 95.5%. Of the 201 students at TAG 28.9% are economically disadvantaged, 0% enroll in special education, 100% enroll in gifted and talent programs, and 0% are considered "limited English proficient."
The average class sizes at TAG are 14.8 students for English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, 5.2 for foreign language
Foreign language
A foreign language is a language indigenous to another country. It is also a language not spoken in the native country of the person referred to, i.e. an English speaker living in Japan can say that Japanese is a foreign language to him or her...
, 13.7 for math, 16.4 for science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
, and 16.8 for social studies
Social studies
Social studies is the "integrated study of the social sciences and humanities to promote civic competence," as defined by the American National Council for the Social Studies...
.
Colleges and universities
Harvard University, MIT, University of California, Princeton University, Duke University, Yale University, MIT, Texas Woman's University, Stanford, Rice University, New York University, Columbia, Boston University, Tufts, Middlebury, Trinity, University of Texas in Austin, Williams, Oklahoma State University, Southern Methodist University, Texas A&M.Faculty
During the 2006-2007 school year the TAG faculty consisted of 17 teachers with an average of 18.2 years of teaching experience and 11.9 years of experience teaching in DISDDallas Independent School District
The Dallas Independent School District is a school district based in Dallas, Texas . Dallas ISD, which operates schools in much of Dallas County, is the second largest school district in Texas and the twelfth largest in the United States.In 2009, the school district was rated "academically...
. Of those teachers, 1.1% are beginning teachers, 18.6% have 1–5 years of experience, 24.1% have 6–10 years of experience, 20.6% have 11–20 years of experience and 35.6% have more than 20 years of experience.
Curriculum
The Mission of the School for the Talented and Gifted is to provide an environment in which the unique worth, dignity, and abilities of each individual are not only recognized but cultivated and celebrated as well. We wish to provide an educational experience that empowers highly capable students to interact with their intellectual peers in creative, academic, aesthetic, and social endeavors in order to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow and to become life-long learners, responsible citizens, and contributors to the betterment of society as a whole in an ever-changing world.
The School for the Talented and Gifted requires the Advanced High School Program as described by the Texas Education Agency
Texas Education Agency
The Texas Education Agency is a branch of the state government of Texas in the United States responsible for public education. The agency is headquartered in the William B...
(TEA) – this program is entitled the Distinguished Achievement Program (DAP), and it is the highest graduation program for Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
The school then takes that program and makes it more demanding by including the Pre-AP and AP curriculum. The table below compares the two programs – both programs require 26 credits:
| Area of Study | Required Credits for Distinguished Achievement | Required Credits for TAG Enhanced Distinguished Achievement |
|---|---|---|
| English 4 credits required |
English 1, English 2, English 3, English 4 | English 1 Pre-AP, English 2 Pre-AP, AP English Language and Composition AP English Language and Composition Advanced Placement English Language and Composition is a course and examination offered by the College Board as part of the Advanced Placement Program.... , AP English Literature and Composition AP English Literature and Composition Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition is a course and examination offered by the College Board as part of the Advanced Placement Program.-The Course:This course is designated for motivated students with a command of standard English, an... |
| Math 5 credits required |
Must include Algebra 1, Algebra 2, and Geometry | Must include Algebra 2 Pre-AP, Geometry Pre-AP, Pre-Calculus Pre-AP, AP Calculus AB AP Calculus Advanced Placement Calculus is used to indicate one of two distinct Advanced Placement courses and examinations offered by the College Board, AP Calculus AB and AP Calculus BC.... |
| Social Studies 3.5 credits required |
World History, World Geography, American History, U.S. Government (one semester) | AP World History AP World History Advanced Placement World History is a college-level course offered through the College Board's Advanced Placement Program designed to help students develop greater understanding of the evolution of global processes and contacts and interactions between different types of Human societies... , AP Human Geography AP Human Geography Advanced Placement Human Geography is a course and examination offered by the College Board as part of the Advanced Placement Program in the USA.This college-level course introduces students to the systematic study of patterns and processes that have shaped human... , AP American History, AP U.S. Government (one semester) |
| Science 4 credits required |
Must include Biology, Chemistry, and Physics | Must include Biology Pre-AP, Pre-AP Chemistry, AP Physics B AP Physics B AP Physics B is an Advanced Placement science course that is divided into nine different sections: Newtonian Mechanics, Electricity and Magnetism, Fluid Mechanics and Thermal Physics, Waves and Optics, and Atomic and Nuclear Physics. The course is equivalent to a one-year college course that... , and one more class from AP Biology AP Biology In the United States, Advanced Placement Biology , is a course and examination offered by the College Board to high school students as an opportunity to earn placement credit for a college-level biology course.... , AP Chemistry AP Chemistry Advanced Placement Chemistry is a course and examination offered by the College Board as a part of the Advanced Placement Program to give American and Canadian high school students the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities and earn college-level credit.-The course:AP Chemistry is a course... , AP Physics C AP Physics C Part of the College Board's Advanced Placement Program, consisting of two separate courses:*AP Physics C: Mechanics*AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism... , or AP Environmental Science AP Environmental Science Advanced Placement Environmental Science is a course offered by the College Board as part of the Advanced Placement Program to high school students interested in the environmental and natural sciences... |
| Economics 0.5 credit required |
Economics (Free Enterprise) | AP Economics AP Economics Advanced Placement Economics consists of two, separate examinations that are offered as part of the College Board's Advanced Placement Program.*AP Macroeconomics*AP Microeconomics... |
| Foreign Language 3 credits required |
3 credits required of the same foreign language | 3 credits required of the same foreign language but in the Pre-AP and AP curriculum |
| Fine Arts 1 credit required |
1 credit | 1 credit |
| Physical Education 1 credits required |
1 credit | 1 credit |
| Health 0 credit required |
0 credit | 0 credit |
| Speech 0.5 credit required |
Communications Applications | Communications Applications |
| Technology Application 1 credit required |
Computer Science 1 | Computer Science 1 Pre-AP |
| Electives 2.5 credits required |
Must be from State-approved courses in language arts, science, math, social studies, foreign language, fine arts, or technology applications | Must be from State-approved Pre-AP and AP courses in language arts, science, math, social studies, foreign language, fine arts, or technology applications |
English curriculum
A typical TAG student takes English 1 Pre-AP as a freshman, English 2 Pre-AP as a sophomore, AP English Language and CompositionAP English Language and Composition
Advanced Placement English Language and Composition is a course and examination offered by the College Board as part of the Advanced Placement Program....
as a junior, and AP English Literature and Composition
AP English Literature and Composition
Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition is a course and examination offered by the College Board as part of the Advanced Placement Program.-The Course:This course is designated for motivated students with a command of standard English, an...
as a senior. In addition, students are required to take a semester of Communication Applications (Speech) as a freshman and Independent Study English as a senior. The Texas Education Agency has made it mandatory that all TAG students in the state must submit an “Exit-Level Project” during their senior year – this project requires finding a mentor in the community, researching and developing the project, and submitting the finished project to a set of judges at the state level. The projects are graded on a “1” to “5” scale, with “5” being the highest. The student must score a “3” or higher to graduate with a “TAG” endorsement on their diploma. TAG's Independent Study English course is this exit-level project. In addition to the required courses, students have choices of the following electives: Debate and Humanities (World Studies/Philosophy).
Since there is a selection process used to gain admission to the TAG Magnet; and, since one of the definitions of a TAG student is a national-norm reading score of “80” or higher, the school does not have students who read below grade level. However, since TAG requires an AP course (AP Human Geography
AP Human Geography
Advanced Placement Human Geography is a course and examination offered by the College Board as part of the Advanced Placement Program in the USA.This college-level course introduces students to the systematic study of patterns and processes that have shaped human...
) as freshman, the school does have students who do not read well enough to tackle a college-level course in their first year of high school. These students are referred to the Student Support Team (SST) for review. This leads to a parent-teacher-student conference attended by both the counselor and the principal. Parent, student, and teacher agree to work together as they check on progress achieved through tutoring hours before and after school. In some cases, additional projects are assigned to improve reading skills.
Math curriculum
Because the TAG admissions process is selective- one of the definitions of a TAG student is a national-norm math score of “82” or higher- a TAG student enters the school having already taken AlgebraAlgebra
Algebra is the branch of mathematics concerning the study of the rules of operations and relations, and the constructions and concepts arising from them, including terms, polynomials, equations and algebraic structures...
. In some cases, as is such with alumni of William B. Travis Academy, students will have completed both Algebra and Geometry
Geometry
Geometry arose as the field of knowledge dealing with spatial relationships. Geometry was one of the two fields of pre-modern mathematics, the other being the study of numbers ....
before even leaving middle school.
Typically, the majority of the class takes Geometry their freshman year. As an effect, students take Algebra 2 Pre-AP as sophomores, Pre-Calculus and AP Statistics
AP Statistics
Advanced Placement Statistics is a college-level high school statistics course offered in the United States through the College Board's Advanced Placement program...
as juniors, and AP Calculus AB
AP Calculus
Advanced Placement Calculus is used to indicate one of two distinct Advanced Placement courses and examinations offered by the College Board, AP Calculus AB and AP Calculus BC....
as seniors. Students who enter the school without Algebra I credits will take both Algebra I and Geometry Pre-AP as freshman and then follow the aforementioned track until their senior year. If a student who has had both Algebra I and Geometry in their 7th and 8th grade years begins their math curriculum at TAG with Algebra II, they continue on to take Pre-Calculus as a sophomore, AP Calculus AB
AP Calculus
Advanced Placement Calculus is used to indicate one of two distinct Advanced Placement courses and examinations offered by the College Board, AP Calculus AB and AP Calculus BC....
and AP Statistics
AP Statistics
Advanced Placement Statistics is a college-level high school statistics course offered in the United States through the College Board's Advanced Placement program...
as a junior, and AP Calculus BC
AP Calculus
Advanced Placement Calculus is used to indicate one of two distinct Advanced Placement courses and examinations offered by the College Board, AP Calculus AB and AP Calculus BC....
as a senior.
Other students choose to "fast track" their math courses taking Algebra 2 Pre-AP and Pre-Calculus Pre-AP as sophomores thus allowing them to take AP Calculus BC
AP Calculus
Advanced Placement Calculus is used to indicate one of two distinct Advanced Placement courses and examinations offered by the College Board, AP Calculus AB and AP Calculus BC....
as seniors. The school does have one math elective available for those advanced math students – Independent Study in Math. This course takes the students through Number Theory
Number theory
Number theory is a branch of pure mathematics devoted primarily to the study of the integers. Number theorists study prime numbers as well...
and Linear Algebra
Linear algebra
Linear algebra is a branch of mathematics that studies vector spaces, also called linear spaces, along with linear functions that input one vector and output another. Such functions are called linear maps and can be represented by matrices if a basis is given. Thus matrix theory is often...
, as well as other topics they will encounter at the university level.
Awards
- TAG was ranked the #1 high school in the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 2006 by NewsweekNewsweekNewsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
s Jay Mathews Challenge Index. Two students, Devan Earle and Chelsea Jones, appeared on the cover of the periodical. In 2007, TAG retained the #1 position, moved to #2 in 2008 and returned to #1 in 2009. It was once again #1 in 2010.
- TAG is consistently rated the Best Public High School in Dallas by D MagazineD MagazineThis article is about the magazine about Dallas. For the Italian magazine, see La Repubblica.D Magazine is a monthly magazine covering Dallas-Fort Worth. It covers a range of topics including politics, business, food, fashion and lifestyle in the city of Dallas. The first issue was published in...
. - Texas MonthlyTexas MonthlyTexas Monthly is a monthly American magazine headquartered in Austin, Texas. Texas Monthly is published by Emmis Publishing, L.P. and was founded in 1973 by Michael R. Levy, Texas Monthly chronicles life in contemporary Texas, writing on politics, the environment, industry, and education...
ranks TAG as one of the top 25 schools in Texas. - TAG is a NCLB Blue Ribbon School.
- Rated "Exemplary" by the Texas Education AgencyTexas Education AgencyThe Texas Education Agency is a branch of the state government of Texas in the United States responsible for public education. The agency is headquartered in the William B...
every year since the inception of the program. - Texas Business & Education Coalition Honor Roll Award in 2004, 2006 and 2007.
- UIL Champions for District 9-AAAAA in both 2004 and 2005.
- TAG was ranked #14 among Gold Medal Schools and #3 among magnet schoolMagnet schoolIn education in the United States, magnet schools are public schools with specialized courses or curricula. "Magnet" refers to how the schools draw students from across the normal boundaries defined by authorities as school zones that feed into certain schools.There are magnet schools at the...
s in U.S. News & World ReportU.S. News & World ReportU.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...
s 2007 ranking of the best high schools in the United States.
Advanced Placement Awards
The following awards are from the Advanced Placement ProgramAdvanced Placement Program
The Advanced Placement program is a curriculum in the United States and Canada sponsored by the College Board which offers standardized courses to high school students that are generally recognized to be equivalent to undergraduate courses in college...
of the College Board
College Board
The College Board is a membership association in the United States that was formed in 1900 as the College Entrance Examination Board . It is composed of more than 5,900 schools, colleges, universities and other educational organizations. It sells standardized tests used by academically oriented...
.
- Recognition for having the highest passing rates in the world for Computer Science and Human GeographyAP Human GeographyAdvanced Placement Human Geography is a course and examination offered by the College Board as part of the Advanced Placement Program in the USA.This college-level course introduces students to the systematic study of patterns and processes that have shaped human...
for 2004-05.
- Ranked first in the state of Texas for overall passing rates as a school since 2001.
- Two AP State ScholarsAdvanced Placement AwardsThe College Board offers several awards to select students who take Advanced Placement exams.The term "award" is perhaps misleading, as no benefit is awarded to the recipient except the title itself.-AP Scholar Designations:...
are announced each year for each state, and TAG had both in 2002, one in 2004, one in 2005 and one in 2007.
- Named a “worldwide leader” for the participation and performance for Art HistoryAP Art HistoryAP Art History is a course offered in high school through the Advanced Placement Program that gives college level material at the high school level. This class is operated by College Board...
, Computer Science, and Human GeographyAP Human GeographyAdvanced Placement Human Geography is a course and examination offered by the College Board as part of the Advanced Placement Program in the USA.This college-level course introduces students to the systematic study of patterns and processes that have shaped human...
tests for 2003-2004.
Student Awards
- In 2006, TAG had two National Merit ScholarshipNational Merit Scholarship ProgramThe National Merit Scholarship Program is a United States academic scholarship competition for recognition and college scholarships administered by National Merit Scholarship Corporation , a privately funded, not-for-profit organization. The program began in 1955...
winners, one received the Achievement Scholarship for outstanding black students and the other received the National Merit $2,500 Scholarship.
- In 2004, a TAG student won the statewide Tom Luce Advanced Placement Scholarship, a $5,000 award given once a year.
- In 2002, a TAG student was awarded a National Merit Scholarship, the O'Donnell Foundation Merit Scholarship.
Faculty Awards
- In 2007, Robert G. Martin, computer science instructor, received the Texas InstrumentsTexas InstrumentsTexas Instruments Inc. , widely known as TI, is an American company based in Dallas, Texas, United States, which develops and commercializes semiconductor and computer technology...
Foundation Innovations in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Teaching Award.
- In 2008, Rebecca McGowan Jensen, Ph.D., physics and statistics instructor, received the Metroplex Technology Business Council's Tech Titan of the Future High School Level award.
Traditions
Integral to the TAG environment, traditions play a major role in school spirit. There are many traditions at the Talented and Gifted magnet, some are student traditions, such as Arts Week, ICAP, and Scrapbook, and some are school traditions such as TAG-IT, TREK, and TAG Forum.Scrapbook
Scrapbook is a yearly tradition in which the senior class collectively pulls together a scrapbook of events throughout the year, and before graduation, publishes a copy for all the seniors and sells copies to any underclassman that wants one. The scrapbook is officially a collective publication of the members of the Senior Class and expresses their opinions and memories of the school. It is not officially sanctioned by the school.Inklings Literary Magazine
Inklings is a monthly publication featuring student submissions of editorials, reviews, poetry, and general fiction stories. It is also TAG's only regularly published, school-affiliated magazine, following the regular publication of the TAG*Magazine in the 1990s.TAG-IT, TREK, & TAG Forum
TAG-IT, TREK, & TAG Forum are three all-school interdisciplinary seminars. TAG TREK is three-day, off-campus curricular field trip. TAG-IT is two-day curricular exercise of special course offerings both on and off campus. TAG Forum is a one day of presentations from experts in various fields of interest for students.Academic Honor Societies
International Thespian SocietyInternational Thespian Society
The International Thespian Society is an honorary organization for high-school and middle-school theatre students located at more than 3,600 affiliated secondary schools across the United States, Canada, and abroad. The International Thespian Society was founded in Fairmont, West Virginia...
, Mu Alpha Theta
Mu Alpha Theta
Mu Alpha Theta is a United States mathematics honor society for high schools and two-year colleges. It has over 89,000 student members in more than 1,800 schools worldwide. Its main goals are to inspire keen interest in mathematics, develop strong scholarship in the subject, and promote the...
, National Honor Society
National Honor Society
The National Honor Society is a recognition program for high school students in grades 10-12 in the United States and in several other countries...
, English National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society
Spanish National Honor Society
Spanish National Honor Society is an academic honor society focused on Spanish language excellence in secondary education and promotes a continuity of interest in Spanish studies. The group, which was established in 1953 in the United States is sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of...
, and Science National Honor Society
Science National Honor Society
Science National Honor Society is an academic honor society focused on science for high school students within the United States. The society was established in 2000 in Texas and has expanded to over 277 schools in 33 states....
.
UIL Competitions
Students at the TAG Magnet participate in numerous University Interscholastic LeagueUniversity Interscholastic League
The University Interscholastic League is an organization that creates rules for and administers almost all athletic, music, and academic contests for public primary and secondary schools in the American state of Texas....
(UIL) sponsored competitions including:
Accounting, Calculator Applications, Computer Applications, Computer Science, Cross Examination Debate
Policy debate
Policy debate is a form of speech competition in which teams of two advocate for and against a resolution that typically calls for policy change by the United States federal government or security discourse...
, Current Events and Issues, Editorial Writing, Extemporaneous Informative Speech, Extemporaneous Persuasive Speech, Feature Writing, Headline Writing, Lincoln-Douglas Debate
Lincoln-Douglas debate
Lincoln–Douglas debate is sometimes also called values debate because it traditionally places a heavy emphasis on logic, ethical values, and philosophy...
, Literary Criticism, Mathematics, News Writing, Number Sense
Number sense
In mathematics education, number sense can refer to "an intuitive understanding of numbers, their magnitude, relationships, and how they are affected by operations." Many other definitions exist, but are similar to the one given...
, One-Act Play, Poetry Interpretation, Prose Interpretation
Prose Interpretation
Prose interpretation is a non-memorized event in which competitors choose a published piece of work that is not poetry or drama. The piece should be cut to no more than 10 minutes...
, Ready Writing, Science
Science (UIL test)
Science is one of several academic events sanctioned by the University Interscholastic League. It is also a competition held by the Texas Math and Science Coaches Association, using the same rules as the UIL....
, Social Studies, Solo and Ensemble (Band, Choir, and Orchestra), Spelling and Vocabulary.
Clubs and organizations
The TAG Magnet also has several student and school run clubs and organizations including:Academic Decathlon, Destination Imagination
Destination ImagiNation
Destination ImagiNation Inc. or DI is a creative problem solving organization for youth and adults. Destination ImagiNation's educational goals are to foster creative and critical thinking, to develop teamwork, collaboration and leadership skills, and to nurture research and inquiry skills...
, Math Olympiads, Mock Trial
Mock trial
A Mock Trial is an act or imitation trial. It is similar to a moot court, but mock trials simulate lower-court trials, while moot court simulates appellate court hearings. Attorneys preparing for a real trial might use a mock trial consisting of volunteers as role players to test theories or...
, Robotics, Science Fair, Whiz Quiz, Ballet Folklorico, Chess Club, Cross-Country Club, Dallas Association of Minority Engineers (DAME), Gay and Straight Alliance (GASP), German Dance, Junior State of America
Junior State of America
The Junior State of America is an American non-partisan student-run youth organization. It is also the largest high school student-run organization in the country...
(JSA), Pan-American Student Forum (PASF), Student Council, Students Against Global Abuse (SAGA), Texas Area Model of American States (TAMOAS), Texas Association of Future Educators (TAFE), Youth for Global Improvement(YGI).