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Gifted and Talented Education

The Elk Grove Unified School District Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) Program operates with the following mission:

The EGUSD program for gifted, talented, and high potential students will discover and nurture students with an exceptional level of performance in diverse areas of expression. The program will equitably and collaboratively engage students and their families to access rigorous instruction with support for intellectual, social and emotional needs.


To support GATE students, each school has a program to meet the needs of their students. The program is developed with the collaboration of the school principal and the school GATE coordinator.

 

The benefits for students participating in the GATE program at their school include:
 
  • Engaging students in challenging learning to promote creativity and critical thinking
  • Developing thinking skills and “habits of mind” to support future success in rigorous courses
  • Introducing students to areas of interest that can be pursued in middle and high school
  • Beginning the path for students to potentially skip introductory college courses and earn college credit while still in high school
 
Beginning in February 2014, the district established a GATE Planning Committee to provide input in the development and evaluation of equitable identification and selection criteria; staff training to implement equitable identification practices; and effective outreach efforts to students, parents and the community, including students and families from traditionally underrepresented student groups.
 
The Committee is composed of parents, teachers, school leaders, and district administrators. This group reviewed research and best practices and proposed new GATE identification criteria to the Office of Civil Rights for review and approval. The recommended criteria were approved by the Office of Civil Rights in January 2015.
 
GATE identification begins in the third grade, and students may be identified for exhibiting exceptional ability in any one of the following areas: Cognitive Ability, Academic Ability, Leadership Ability, Creative Ability, and Visual and Performing Arts Ability.
 
The Site GATE Committee reviews each of these areas on a specific timeline throughout the year. The timeline is determined each fall, and is communicated to parents by the school. Additionally, all third grade students are tested for identification in the Cognitive Ability area using the NNAT assessment.
 
Appeals to identification for the GATE program can be made by following the appeals process. The request to appeal an identification decision must be in writing, and begins with the site GATE Coordinator. If the site GATE Coordinator is not able to resolve the appeal, it will be brought forth to the school principal. If the school principal is not able to resolve the appeal, it will be brought forth to the district GATE Coordinator who will make a final determination.
 
For more information regarding identification and services, please contact the GATE Coordinator at your child’s school.
(916) 686-7712
 
Mailing Address:
GATE Program
Learning Support Services
Elk Grove Unified School District
9510 Elk Grove-Florin Road
Elk Grove, CA 95624