Program Purpose
The Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) program, authorized by Education Code (EC) sections 52200-52212 (Outside Source), provides funding for local educational agencies (LEAs) to develop unique education opportunities for high-achieving and underachieving pupils in California public elementary and secondary schools who have been identified as gifted and talented. Special efforts are made to ensure that pupils from economically disadvantaged and varying cultural backgrounds are provided with full participation in these unique opportunities.
LEAs may establish programs for gifted and talented pupils consisting of special day classes, part-time groupings, and cluster groupings. GATE curricular components are required to be planned and organized as integrated differentiated learning experiences within the regular school day and may be augmented or supplemented with other differentiated activities related to the core curriculum, including independent study, acceleration, postsecondary education, and enrichment. For all programs for gifted and talented pupils, including those programs for pupils with high creative capability and talents in the performing and visual arts, each participating LEA shall concentrate part of its curriculum on providing GATE pupils with an academic component and, where appropriate, with instruction in basic skills.
GATE programs are operated in approximately 800 districts located in all 58 counties. There are over 480,000 public school students that have been identified as gifted and talented in the state.
Request for Applications
All LEAs requesting GATE funding for the first time and LEAs with expired applications as indicated on the List of LEA application renewal dates (XLS; 112KB; 18pp.) are required to submit new applications to the California Department of Education (CDE) by June 15, 2008. All LEAs that received multiple-year approvals for two, three, or five years that have not expired as indicated on the list of LEA application renewal dates are require to submit Request for Continued Funding form (DOC; 40KB; 1p.) by June 15, 2008.
Approval of applications is based on the criteria in the State Board of Education (SBE) Recommended Standards for Programs for Gifted and Talented Students. Applications are approved for one, two, or three years or denied based on the quality of the plan in accordance with the SBE Recommended Standards for Programs for Gifted and Talented Students (DOC; 96 KB; 9 pp.). An application may be approved for a period of five-years following a site validation of the application by the CDE.
LEA Principal Apportionment Calculations and Authorized Use of Funds
Information regarding LEA principal apportionment calculations and authorized use of GATE funds.
Frequently Asked Questions
The GATE Frequently Asked Questions provide information regarding GATE program implementation regarding the following: Identification, Service Delivery, Funding, Parent/Guardian Involvement, and Evaluation.
Categorical Program Monitoring
State and federal laws require the California Department of Education (CDE) to monitor the implementation of categorical programs operated by local educational agencies (LEAs). CDE monitoring is accomplished in part through the Categorical Program Monitoring process.
The GATE CPM Instrument consists of state and federal legal requirements used by CDE monitoring staff to determine program compliance.
The GATE Categorical Program Monitoring OPSET is designed to assist local educational agencies (LEAs) in creating and maintaining compliant state and federal categorical programs"
CPM Narrated Presentations (Outside Source)
A series of modules on the CPM process, instruments, and OPSETs including the GATE CPM Narrated Presentation to assist LEAs in establishing and maintaining a compliant categorical programs.
Advanced Placement
Advanced Placement (AP) programs provide incentives for public comprehensive high schools in California to provide GATE and other students access to rigorous, college-level courses. Students may pursue college-level work while in secondary school and receive college credit, advanced academic standing, or both. Completion of AP courses and related tests are recognized by most public and private universities.
