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Gifted Education Policies
  

California

State Status: Yellow
State Definition of "gifted & talented": “Each district shall use one or more of these categories in identifying pupils as gifted and talented. In all categories, identification of a pupil’s extraordinary capability shall be in relation to the pupil’s chronological peers.

(a) Intellectual Ability: A pupil demonstrates extraordinary or potential for extraordinary intellectual development.
(b) Creative Ability: A pupil characteristically:
    1. Perceives unusual relationships among aspects of the pupil’s environment and among ideas;
    2. Overcomes obstacles to thinking and doing;
    3. Produces unique solutions to problems.
(c) Specific Academic Ability: A pupil functions at highly advanced economic levels in particular subject areas.
(d) Leadership Ability: A pupil displays the characteristic behaviors necessary for extraordinary leadership.
(e) High Achievement: A pupil consistently produces advanced ideas and products and/or attains exceptionally high scores on achievement tests.
(f) Visual and Performing Arts Talent: A pupil originates, performs, produces, or responds at extraordinarily high levels in the arts.
(g) Any other category which meets the standards set forth in these regulations.”
(California Code Regs. title 5, § 3822)
Governor: Arnold Schwarzenegger
State Superintendent:
State Dept. of Ed. - Gifted and Talented:
State Association: California Association for the Gifted
Statistics Back to Top
6,312,103 Students enrolled in grades K-12 (2005-2006)
6,322,000 Students enrolled in grades K-12 (2004-2005)
Unknown Students identified as Gifted and Talented (2005-2006)
482,000 Students identified as Gifted and Talented (2004-2005)
Unknown Dollars allocated for education (2005-2006)
$44,624,273,552 Dollars allocated for education (2004-2005)
Unknown Dollars allocated for Gifted and Talented programming (2005-2006)
$48,000,000 (Estimate) Dollars allocated for Gifted and Talented programming (2004-2005)
112,152 Students enrolled in Advanced Placement courses (2005-2006)
20.1% Percentage of all students scoring a 3 or above on Advanced Placement exams (2005-2006)
82 Number of schools offering International Baccalaureate programs (2005-2006)

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Legislation & Funding Back to Top
Yes      Does gifted education legislation exist?
Legislation Information
No      Does the legislation mandate that gifted students be served?
Yes      Was there funding for gifted programs for the 2004 - 2005 school year?
No      Is identification of gifted students required by state law?
Yes      Does legislation provide for an education program matched to the student's abilities?
No      Is there legislation that mandates specialized training in gifted education for teachers of gifted students?
Yes      Are there colleges/universities in the state that offer courses and/or degrees in gifted education?
Click here for a list of Gifted Education Degree Programs.

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Obstacles Back to Top
   We encourage you to post your experiences on the Gifted State Policy Discussion Forum
Schools Back to Top
Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) - Gifted and Talented Programs (CA)
MPUSD GATE Program (CA)
North Hollywood High School, Highly Gifted Magnet (North Hollywood, CA)
Portola Highly Gifted Magnet Center (Los Angeles, CA)
San Francisco Conservatory of Music (San Francisco, CA)
Seminar Program-San Diego City Schools (San Diego, CA)
Walter Reed Middle School (North Hollywood, CA)

Do you know of a school in this state that should be featured here? Please recommend them as a resource.
Opportunities for Gifted and Talented Students Back to Top
Academic Talent Development Program (ATDP) - UC Berkeley (CA)
Adventures in Nature - Summer Camp
ALEKS
Buros Institute of Mental Measurements
Califorinia State University (Sacramento, CA) - Accelerated College Experience
California Association for the Gifted (CAG), (CA)
California State Summer School for Mathematics and Science- COSMOS
California State University, Los Angeles - Early Entrance Program (EEP)
California Symphony (CA)
Challenger Learning Center (Carson, CA)
Classroom Connect
Core Knowledge Lesson Plans
Cybercamps
Duke TIP Summer Programs (NC)
Dunham Academy (San Rafael, CA)
Educational Robotic's
Educational Technology Consortium (ETC), (CA)
EPGY Summer Programs
Excel for Youth Program - Sonoma State University (CA)
Exploratorium (CA)
HomeSchool Association of California (CA)
iD Tech Camps
Institute for Educational Advancement - Apprenticeship Program
Legoland
Lindamood Bell Learning Processes
Nueva School (Hillsborough, CA)
Pegasus School (Huntington Beach, CA)
Rhoades School (Encinitas, California)
Science Adventures
Seven Arrows Elementary School (Pacific Palisades, CA)
Stanford Parallel Applications for Shared Memory (SPLASH), (CA)
Stanford University Mathematics Camp (SUMAC)
The Education Coalition
The Mentoring Group
The Summer Science Program (SSP)
THINK Summer Institute - Davidson Institute for Talent Development (Reno,NV)
Tutor Nation
UCIrvine Academic Talent Search (CA)
University of California, Irvine - Gifted Students Academy (GSA)
Youth Speaks

Do you know of other opportunities in this state that should be featured here? Please recommend them as a resource.
Join the California Gifted Education Policy  Discussion Forum

Information presented on this page was compiled from a variety of resources, including the State of the States Gifted and Talented Education Report 2001 - 2002, published by the Council of State Directors of Programs for the Gifted and the National Association for Gifted Children, Education State Rankings 2003 - 2004 edited by Kathleen O'Leary Morgan and Scott Morgan, and hundreds of websites. Information was also collected through surveys, targeted requests for information to state departments of education, state gifted associations, and other knowledgeable organizations. The Davidson Institute for Talent Development has not verified the accuracy of this information and does not warrant its accuracy or fitness of use for any purpose. Users should verify information prior to taking any action. Furthermore, the appearance of selected programs and/or resources does not imply an endorsement or affiliation. Programs and resources are highlighted for informational purposes only.