Important TAG Identification and Screening Dates

August 26 - December 1

Grades 6 and 7 teacher and staff nomination window.  

• Students will be screened with existing test data. 
• Test data is valid for 2 years.  
• If the student’s Reading or Math standardized test data is 89th percentile or higher, an OLSAT cognitive assessment may also be administered if necessary.

August 26 - January 15

Parents/guardians may nominate students for TAG screening.  The request for TAG screening must be in writing to the TAG coordinator or professional school counselor. The TAG Coordinator will review all existing data to complete the screening.  Test data is valid for 2 years.

August 26 -  October 2

Early Entrance to First Grade (AP 5111.11)  test request and teacher observation window. (Note:  Qualifying students should be moved to first grade by the beginning of the second quarter.) and WILL NOT TAKE a second OLSAT Testing.

November 1

TAG Center Specialty Program Lottery Application Opens - https://pgcpsmdc.scriborder.com/

Students must be TAG identified by PGCPS and apply to the lottery by the deadline to be eligible to attend the TAG Center Program.  Placements are made based on home address.  Use Schoolfinder to identify the program boundary school.

To be considered for placement in a TAG Center Specialty Program for the 2027–2028 school year, students must be identified and coded for TAG services by March 12, 2027.

    Please Note:

• Students currently enrolled in private or homeschool settings must participate in the PGCPS screening process and meet the established criteria for TAG services to be eligible for possible TAG Center placement.
• Parents/Guardians may apply to the lottery during the screening process.

October TBD*

ALL Grade 1 students will be tested with the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT) 

All students scoring at or above the 81st percentile on verbal, nonverbal, or total score will be screened for TAG services

Students moved to Grade 1 from Kindergarten via AP 5111.11 and tested with the OLSAT A should NOT test again

Students who take the grade 1 OLSAT are not eligible to take another cognitive ability assessment until grade 4.

November 20

AP 5111.11 Report on Early Entrance to First Grade (Attachment 2) due to the TAG Office

November TBD*

Grade 2 New Registrants or students without cognitive ability test results on file will be tested with the OLSAT.

(All students scoring at or above the 81st percentile will be screened for TAG services)

TBD*

Grade 3 New Registrants to PGCPS will be tested with the Cognitive Ability Test (CogAT) 

(All students scoring at or above the 81st percentile or above on the verbal, nonverbal, or quantitative tests will be screened for TAG services.)

December TBD*

ALL Grade 4 students (not already TAG-identified) will be tested with the Cognitive Ability Test (CogAT) 

(All students scoring at or above the 81st percentile using the double composite score will be screened for TAG services)

December TBD*

Grade 5 New Registrants to PGCPS will be tested with the Cognitive Ability Test (CogAT) 

(All students scoring at or above the 81st percentile using the double composite score will be screened for TAG services)

January 15

Deadline: Parents/guardians may nominate students for TAG screening.  The request for TAG screening must be in writing to the TAG coordinator or professional school counselor. The TAG Coordinator will review all existing data to complete the screening.  Test data is valid for 2 years.

March 12,  2027

Lottery application Deadline - https://pgcpsmdc.scriborder.com/

• Students must be TAG identified by PGCPS and apply to the lottery by the deadline to be eligible to attend the TAG Center Program.  
• Placements are made based on home address.  
• Use Schoolfinder to identify the program boundary school.
• Parents/Guardians MAY apply to the lottery DURING the screening process.
• Students identified for TAG services after the lottery is run, will have eligible to apply during the next lottery cycle.

*

Testing window dates are subject to change per the Testing Office Master Calendar. Each School will determine the exact testing dates within the testing window.