From the Desk of the Superintendent

Superintendent J. Brian Sarvis, Ed.D.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Secondary GATE classes

At Tuesday’s board meeting, board members considered making changes to the Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) course label following a report on the district’s GATE courses. GATE courses provide specialized learning experiences beyond the regular curriculum for students who demonstrate high performance or capacity for high performance beyond age and grade expectations.

Contrary to recent news reports, nobody is suggesting that the district is considering ending the GATE program. In fact, the discussion is quite the opposite. Here is the reasoning behind the proposal to change the course label:

One out of every three students currently in our junior high and high school GATE courses has not previously been identified as a GATE student. The district has studied their performance and they do well in these courses on test measures and grades.

The board has set a goal to significantly increase the participation of underrepresented students in GATE courses. The district has not been able to make progress on this goal. We expect that the change proposed at last night’s board meeting will affect our success in meeting this goal.

The label “GATE” may be an artificial barrier to our underrepresented students. Courses labeled “GATE” actually serve GATE and other advanced learners. Underrepresented students often see courses labeled “GATE” as unavailable to them.

Other districts made the change in course labeling years ago and simply call these advanced courses “Honors.” In doing so they have increased access for a greater number of students seeking more rigorous courses. It is now the norm across the state to label advanced courses as “Honors.” UC recognizes Honors courses, but does not recognize GATE courses.

As part of the proposed change in the course title, guidelines for placement in Honors courses were presented to ensure that students can be successful and the high level of instruction is maintained in these rigorous courses. The learning environment is enriched when differing voices, experiences, and dialogue are part of the educational experience.

During the month of February the district will meet with students, staff, and parents to discuss the proposed change.