Appendix 3
Page 8
GATE Policies and Procedures
Adopted by the San Diego City Schools Board of Education on
April 28, 1998, June 23, 1998, and March 23, 1999
CLUSTER
POLICY: Identification of cluster students in each of the following three categories (4/28/98):
Intellectual Category
The student must:
• Score in the very superior range (98th percentile or above) on a
district-approved, mental ability test administered by a district psychologist, OR
• Score in the 95th through 97th percentile range on a district-approved ability
test administered by a district psychologist with the application of factors.
These factors include economic, medical, language, acute emotional, and lack
of experience in pre-school and early school years.
High Achievement Category
The student must:
• Score at the 95th through the 97th percentile on a district-approved, mental
ability test administered by a district psychologist, AND
• Demonstrate superior achievement by scoring in the 95th 90th percentile or
above on the district’s norm-referenced, achievement test in two total areas
(e.g., reading, language, mathematics) over two years. The student must
achieve the 95th 90th percentile twice in the same two total areas, but these
results need not occur in consecutive years.
Specific Academic Documentation (Secondary only)
The student must:
• Score at the 95th through the 97th percentile on a district-approved, mental
ability test administered by a district psychologist, AND
• Demonstrate superior achievement by scoring in the 90th percentile or above on
the district’s norm-referenced, achievement test in one total area (e.g., reading,
language, mathematics), AND
• Earn:
1. a grade of A in an academic class correlated to the test in the above norm-
referenced, achievement test area, OR
2. an overall 3.0 grade point average.
POLICY: Definition of cluster program models and placement of students in GATE cluster classes to be implemented no later than opening of school, 1999-2000 (6/23/98) 2002-2003:
CLUSTER POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND CLARIFICATION
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A. All cluster programs must meet the following criteria:
1. GATE certification for all elementary cluster teachers, all middle/[junior high] school
teachers teaching more than 1 GATE class, and all high school teachers teaching
more than 2 GATE classes. A cluster teacher may teach on a waiver for not more
than one year. [All seminar teachers must be GATE certified.] Those who teach any
GATE class without a GATE certificate must attend at least one GATE inservice per
year designed to serve their needs or provide documentation of GATE continuing
education.
2. Qualitatively different curriculum and instruction (references for definition of
differentiation: Differentiating the Core Curriculum and Instruction to Provide
Advanced Learning Opportunities, California Department of Education and the
California Association for the Gifted, Sacramento, CA, 1994; Meeting the Challenge:
A Guidebook for Teaching Gifted Students, California Association for the Gifted,
1996).
3. The six elements required by Education Code Section 52200(c) of state GATE
legislation (1978).
The Legislature is committed to the belief that programs for gifted and talented
pupils should include all of the following:
a. Differentiated opportunities for learning commensurate with the gifted and
talented pupil’s particular abilities and talents.
b. Alternative learning environments in which gifted and talented pupils can
acquire skills and understanding at advanced ideological and creative levels
commensurate with their potentials.
c. Elements that help gifted and talented pupils develop sensitivity and
responsibility to others.
d. Elements that help to develop a commitment in gifted and talented pupils to
constructive ethical standards.
e. Elements that assist gifted and talented pupils to develop self-generating
problem-solving abilities to expand each pupil’s awareness of choices for
satisfying contributions in his or her environment.
f. Elements that help gifted and talented pupils develop realistic, healthy self-
concepts.
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B. Students placed in cluster classes/groupings in the following manner (with the
exception of Model #4):
1. District-identified students:
a. Elementary classes/groupings must include 50% or more district-identified
students (averaged over a three-year period to allow for minor, annual
fluctuations in the number of identified students).
b. Middle/junior high school cluster classes must include 50% or more district-
identified students (averaged over a three-year period to allow for minor,
annual fluctuations in the number of identified students) for 6th grade core
academic subjects; for 7th through 9th grade classes, individual classes must
be composed of at least 33% or more district-identified students. If there are
enough GATE-identified students to support 50% or more in a class, at least
50% must be maintained.
c. High school cluster classes must include 33% or more identified GATE
students. If a class falls below 33% identified GATE students, it is not
considered a GATE cluster class except when there is more than one section.
The 33% can then be obtained by averaging across the total number of
sections.
2. The remaining spaces are to be filled from the following qualified students
incorporating the ethnic makeup of the school and residency as considerations when
selecting from these students for placement. Any one of these qualifications makes a
student eligible for placement in the cluster class (rewording adopted 3/23/99):
a. students who were not district-identified but who scored in the 90th through
97th percentile on a district-approved ability test administered by a district
GATE psychologist, OR
b. students who give evidence of academic performance capability as
demonstrated by a portfolio score of 4 or above on a 5-point district rubric and
teacher recommendation, OR
c. students who give evidence of academic performance capability as
demonstrated by a score in the 90th percentile or above on a district norm-
referenced, achievement test from any year in one or more total areas (ASAT:
total reading, total math, total langauge; SAT 9: total reading, total math,
language, science) and teacher recommendation.
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3. After all cluster-identified students and all students who meet one of the three
criteria in B.2. have been placed, the principal may use his/her discretion in the
placement of additional Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) students
in the places remaining in the class (procedure adopted 3/23/99).
POLICY: All cluster programs must be selected from the following models (6/23/98):
Model #1: CLASSIC CLUSTER
Full-day cluster class in elementary; multiple-period core class in 6th grade, middle school; class period in middle and high school course offerings.
Clarification: Full-day cluster class in elementary; multiple-period core class in 6th
grade, middle school; class period in 7th and 8th, middle school; class period in junior
and senior high school.
Model #2: TEAM TAUGHT CORE CLUSTER
Two or more teachers work together regrouping, clustering their GATE students for duration of core curriculum (language arts, mathematics, science, social studies) for a minimum of 200 minutes per week.
Model #3: CORE WHEEL CLUSTER
Students are grouped in a wheel, one group of which is a cluster. The wheel must be for a minimum of two hours per day and must provide qualitatively different curriculum and instruction in the core curriculum. Students may be grouped across age/grade levels.
Model #4: ALL-GATE CLUSTER
The class is composed entirely of students who have been district identified.
Model #5: APPROVED SITE-DEFINED CLUSTER
It is recognized that some schools may have unique circumstances or requirements that cannot be met by the four GATE program options described above. These schools may propose an alternative GATE program model that addresses their unique needs. These site-developed GATE program models are intended, in particular, to encourage innovative instructional programs that serve linguistically diverse, culturally diverse, and/or economically disadvantaged gifted and talented students.
When a school wishes to propose an alternative GATE program model, specific steps are to be followed; and ALL CRITERIA FOR A CLUSTER PROGRAM MUST BE MET.
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Cluster Model #5 steps supported by Board action on 6/23/98:
When a school wishes to propose an alternative GATE program model (Model #5), the following steps are required:
1. Teachers to be involved in the GATE program and the GATE administrator at the site
create a written GATE program plan with input from GATE parents. This plan must
include a description of the proposed course of instruction, class scheduling, student
placement, and class composition, measures to be used to assess program
effectiveness, and other necessary information. The plan must meet all of the district
cluster criteria.
2. The site-endorsed plan is forwarded to the GATE office.
3. The GATE office staff members review the site GATE program plan with respect to
state regulations and district policies and procedures.
4. Staff from the GATE office meet with the site staff to discuss details about how the
proposed program meets GATE regulations and policies, how it will operate, and how
it will be assessed.
5. The GATE Program Manager submits the site GATE plan to the GATE Program
Governance Team with a recommendation for or against approval.
6. The GATE Program Governance Team approves or disapproves the site plan.
7. The GATE office staff members work closely with the site staff to revise the proposal
or assist with the program implementation.
8. Because of the unique nature of these GATE program models, representatives from
the site and GATE office staff meet annually to review the program and to make
necessary modifications.
B. Models and Descriptions
The School Program Summary and the Accountability Design for Differentiated Instruction of each class are on file for parent, community, and staff review at both the site and GATE Office.
All cluster programs must be selected from the following models:
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TRADITIONAL CLUSTER (MODEL A)
The traditional cluster model provides that 50-100% of the students are to be GATE identified with any remaining openings to be filled with those students who score in the upper 10% on either the SAT-9 (high achieving) or on the Raven (high ability) or other
district accepted intelligence test. Full day cluster class in elementary; multiple–period core class in 6th grade, middle school; class period in middle and high school course offerings. Note: at the secondary level the principal may use his/her discretion in the placement of additional Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) students in the places remaining in the class (procedure adopted 3/23/99).
DIVERSITY CLUSTER (MODEL B)
The diversity cluster model provides that 25% or more of the students in a class are identified as GATE with remaining openings reflecting the diversity of the school and, where appropriate, including students in the AVID program. An Accountability Plan for Differentiated Instruction is in place describing how and what modifications take place to ensure the needs of the students are being met throughout the school day.
COLLABORATIVE CLUSTER (MODEL C)
The collaborative cluster model provides for grade level and cross-grade level teaming where smaller clusters of students are regrouped for at least one core subject per day creating a cluster of 25% or more GATE identified students in one classroom. The remaining openings are to be filled by students who would benefit from accelerated instruction (e.g.,AVID) and reflect the diversity of the school population. This model may be particularly useful for smaller schools. An Accountability Plan for Differentiated Instruction is in place describing how and what modifications take place to ensure the needs of the students are being met throughout the school day.
INDIVIDUALIZED GATE PLAN- IGP (MODEL D)
The IGP model is designed for schools with very small populations where grouping could be counterproductive. An IGP - Individualized Accountability Plan is created for each GATE identified student and placed on file in both the site office and GATE Office along with the Program Summary.
POLICY: Social and Emotional Development of Gifted Learners
The GATE program will establish and implement plans to support the social and emotional development of gifted learners.
Changes in state law regarding social and emotional issues of gifted students (AB2313) have provided a forum for change in the San Diego City Schools GATE Department. It was evident that although GATE psychologists were able to troubleshoot individual problems in the past, it was done informally and on an irregular basis. Parents, teachers and administrators all agreed that the need for addressing the multitude of emotional needs of the gifted was long overdue.
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The major avenue for change must be training and in-service. This could be accomplished through brochures, newsletters, informational packets, workshops and evening meetings. There
are many groups of people who come into contact with gifted children and who would be most likely to utilize the information and be able to disseminate it to others. These groups include members of the GATE District Advisory Committee, District Counselors, GATE Team Leaders at each site and those going through GATE teacher certification. Other suggested methods of imparting information was through SENG (Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted) groups for parents, the Distinguished Lecture Series that is offered each year, and through health classes and growth groups for children. Both oral and written methods of communication must be used to benefit the greatest number of children and at-risk students sought out for particular care and attention.
The GATE department presently has a group of trained GATE psychologists willing to provide service to GATE students, parents and teachers in the area of social-emotional needs. However, further study is required to determine what increased resources are needed in order to meet the intent of the new legislation.
Policy-related recommendations supported by Board action on 6/23/98:
1. The following statement defines the San Diego Unified identified GATE cluster student and cluster program:
Students who score in the ability range greater than or equal to two standard deviations above the mean differ from their age peers in that they generally show advanced comprehension, a faster pace of learning, and an ability to handle greater complexity and depth in their learning. These students may not be challenged by the regular curriculum or its manner and pace of presentation. They require programs differentiated from the regular school programs in order to
realize their learning potential. The cluster program is intended to serve the varied profiles presented by these students who not only differ from regular students in their learning abilities, but also differ from each other in the unique patterns of characteristics and interests they possess. When cluster classes are composed of both identified and nonidentified students, in order for the classes to be successful learning environments for all students involved, the composition of the class must be carefully planned.