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Lodi Unified School District

Policy 6172 - Gifted & Talented Student Program

Series: 6000 - Instruction

Policy: 6172 - Gifted & Talented Student Program

Adopted: 12/08/1998

Last Revised: 05/05/2026

Last Reviewed: 05/05/2026

Download Policy 6172 - Gifted & Talented Student Program PDF (English)

Download Rule 6172 - Gifted & Talented Student Program PDF (English)

Gifted & talented student program

The Board of Education believes that all students deserve an education that challenges them to reach their full potential.  The district shall provide gifted and talented students with opportunities for learning commensurate with their particular abilities and talents.
 
The Superintendent or designee shall identify students for the district’s gifted and talented education (GATE) program on the basis of demonstrated or potential intellectual development, creative ability, consistently high achievement levels, academic ability in particular subject area(s), leadership ability, and/or performing and visual arts talent.
 
The Superintendent or designee shall provide all eligible students, including economically disadvantaged students, English learners, and students of varying cultural backgrounds, with full opportunities to participate in the GATE program and shall provide services as necessary to help such students to succeed in the program.
 
The district’s program shall be designed to provide articulated learning experiences across subjects and grade levels and shall be aligned with and extend the state academic content standards and curriculum frameworks. 
 
Education opportunities in the district’s GATE program may include:
 
  1. Special day classes which are designed to meet specific academic needs of gifted and talented students and are appropriately differentiated from other classes in the same subjects at the school
     
  2. Part-time groupings, in which students attend classes or seminars that are organized to provide advanced or enriched subject matter for a part of the school day
     
  3. Cluster groupings, in which students are grouped within a regular classroom setting and receive appropriately differentiated activities from the regular classroom teacher
     
  4. Acceleration, in which students are placed in grade levels or classes more advanced than those of their chronological age group and are provided special counselling and /or instruction outside the regular classroom in order to facilitate their advanced work
     
  5. Dual enrollment courses offered by a community college
     
  6. Advanced Placement classes, International Baccalaureate program, or honors classes
     
  7. Supplemental educational activities which augment students’ regular educational programs in their regular classrooms and may include the use of advanced materials and/or provide special opportunities from persons other than the regular classroom teacher
In addition, the district’s program shall support the social and emotional development of GATE students in order to promote student engagement in school.
 
Staff development shall be provided as needed to support teachers in understanding the unique learning styles and abilities of gifted and talented students and in developing appropriate instructional strategies.
 
As appropriate, the Superintendent or designee may involve certificated staff, students, parents/guardians, and community members in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of the GATE program.
 

rule 6172

Last Revised: 05/26/2026

Last Reviewed: 05/26/2026

Program Coordinator
The Superintendent or designee shall appoint a district coordinator who has demonstrated experience and knowledge in gifted education to oversee implementation of the district’s gifted and talented education (GATE) program, including student identification procedures, recordkeeping, and other duties as assigned.
 
Identification of Gifted and Talented Students
Students may be recommended for the GATE program by administrators, teachers, counselors, other staff, or parents/guardians.  Parent/guardian consent shall be obtained before placing a student in the program.
 
The Superintendent or designee shall select students for the program based on their demonstrated or potential ability for high performance in categories identified by the Board, as evidenced by any of the following indicators:
 
  1. School, class, and individual student records
     
  2. Individual tests, including summary and evaluation by a credentialed school psychologist
     
  3. Group tests
     
  4. Interviews and questionnaires of teachers, parents/guardians, and others
     
  5. Student portfolios
     
  6. Opinions of professional persons
The Superintendent or designee shall base selection decisions upon the evaluation of pertinent evidence by the principal or designee, a classroom teacher familiar with the student's work, and, when appropriate, a credentialed school psychologist and/or other expert. These persons may review screening, identification, and placement data and shall meet when necessary to resolve any differences in assessment and recommendations. In reviewing evidence of a student's abilities, the Superintendent or designee also shall consider the economic, linguistic, and cultural characteristics of the student's background.

A student who transfers into the district shall be considered for the GATE program if the student was identified as a gifted and talented student in their previous district or school or is recommended for the program. The Superintendent or designee may verify that the GATE program would be an appropriate placement for the student by examining evidence of the student's abilities based on any of the indicators listed above.
 
Because students who do not initially meet district criteria for the GATE program may become eligible at a later grade level, the district may re-examine student eligibility whenever the district receives a referral or the Superintendent or designee determines it to be in the student’s best interest.
 

Legal References

Policy Reference Disclaimer:
These references are not intended to be part of the policy itself, nor do they indicate the basis or authority for the Board to enact this policy.  Instead, they are provided as additional resources for those interested in the subject matter of the policy.
 
STATE
CALIFORNIA CODE OF REGULATIONS
5 CCR 1633 Instruction by correspondence
EDUCATION CODE
37223 Weekend classes
48800-48802 Enrollment of gifted students in community college
51740 Instruction by correspondence
51745 Independent study
52060-52077 Local control and accountability plan
76000-76002 Enrollment in community college
MANAGEMENT RESOURCES
WEBSITES
CSBA District and County Office of Education Legal Services https://legalservices.csba.org/
California Association for the Gifted http://www.cagifted.org/
Council for Exceptional Children, The Association for the Gifted (CEC-TAG) http://www.cectag.org/
National Association for Gifted Children http://www.nagc.org/