Hi thx1138 -
I think that the new change in how GATE is funded (LCFF) means that school districts do not even have to fund GATE programs anymore (although the GATE office in our district stated that all schools were required to have a GATE program) I guess it doesn't matter if they are funded..
Instead the districts make the determination about how much goes to funding gifted programs.
http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/gt/lw/http://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/fr/eb/gateprogramfaq.asp (in this article, they state pretty openly that schools can use funding for gifted or for band uniforms
.
I agree that this does not bode well for our kids.
http://www.sfgate.com/education/article/School-funding-leaves-gifted-students-behind-3265829.phpI'm in California in one of the largest school districts. My children went to one of the top (if not the top) elementary schools in the district and there was no actual gifted program visible at any time. I was told by the GATE office that all schools MUST have a gifted program- but the only thing I ever saw was GATE identification via OLSAT and intellectual testing. My understanding also is at least in our district they no longer favor pull out programs (which I understand, I did not like being pulled out when I was in GATE because the other kids would then tease me for it) instead they do in-class differentiation. There was no real differentiation unless a teacher did it on their own (I only saw one teacher do this myself), and any kid got it if they were operating at a higher level.
I spoke to a friend whose son was identified HG in 4th and he got no differentiation in 5th (and who said he really didn't learn anything new that entire year). If you spoke to the Principal you were told that the whole school was run like a gifted school (and the quality of education was very very high and likely many many children there were MG). However that said, for the most part the children who were identified HG did not seem to be suffering and had fond memories of the school.
In our district there are also both gifted/high ability and highly gifted magnets, which based on the fact that they receive magnet funding may be better choices for gifted kids with regard to funding than even the gifted programs within public schools (however I am not sure what the rules are regarding magnet funding), but of course you have to have the points and be selected - but at least with the Highly Gifted magnets there is always space and they don't really require points because they just don't get enough kids qualifying for the seats.
