Overview
The Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) program in California is designed to provide challenging curriculum and instruction to gifted and talented students who are capable of achieving significantly above the level of their age peers, requiring modification of regular or core programming.
History
The California Legislature first established a program for gifted students in 1961 when the mentally gifted minor (MGM) program was enacted. This program targeted a narrow range of students who scored at the 98th percentile or above on standardized intellectual ability tests and focused only on the intellectual aspect of giftedness.
Recognizing that this narrow focus left out many creative, talented students who were truly gifted, new legislation was enacted in 1980. The definition of giftedness was broadened in the new legislation to identify students in the additional categories of creativity, specific academic ability, leadership, high achievement, and performing and visual arts.
Enrollment
Currently, GATE programs are operated by 785 districts in California, located in all 58 counties.
