The GATE program is still alive and well in Moorpark Unified School District! It has not been as visible as in previous years because state budget cuts resulted in the elimination of the all GATE-paid positions: the District-level coordinator, the site facilitators, and grade level advisors. Site-level discretionary funding for GATE also fell victim to the state budget crisis.
We would like to take this opportunity to assure parents that GATE continues to be an important program for students in Moorpark. While we are not identifying new GATE students this year, we will continue to provide services for GATE and other high achieving students.
As a reminder, here are a few GATE services that are provided to our students:
· The core of the GATE program at the elementary level is clustering GATE students in 4th and 5th grade. This process will continue with identified GATE students in 5th grade. Because the GATE identification process has been suspended due to budget cuts, there will be no new GATE cluster classes. However, all elementary sites will continue to identify and group high achieving students to provide them differentiated instruction and additional challenge.
· The core of the GATE program at the middle school level is placement of GATE students in honors classes. The honors classes at CMS and MVMS were created to serve the needs of GATE students. These honors classes are alive and well with differentiation occurring on a regular basis. Our GATE program at the middle school level remains intact.
· At the high school level, GATE students are served in pre-AP and Advanced Placement classes. This year we offered pre-AP 9th grade English. Advanced Placement classes this year included Psychology, 11th and 12th grade English, European and U.S. History, Government, Economics, Statistics, Calculus AB and BC, Chemistry, Biology, Physic B and C, Spanish 4 and 5, and Studio Art.
· Incoming GATE sixth graders are still placed in both pairs of honors classes with seventh and eighth grade GATE students being placed in at least a pair of honors if they did not qualify for honors based on our school's criteria. (Note: This placement exemption is seldom necessary.)
· GATE funding was used this year to support differentiation in the classroom. Upper elementary and middle school teachers attended a district-wide differentiation workshop. Participants were trained in differentiation methods and shared ideas on ways to provide challenging instruction for GATE students. They received a packet of current research on the importance of providing challenge for GATE students, lessons to take back to the classroom, and a copy of Carol Tomlinson's book The Differentiated Classroom.
· Our student assessment system, DataWise, provides teachers easy access to scores for our GATE students and an efficient method for looking at their progress as a group.
· We continued the practice of providing specialized counseling for eighth grade GATE students as they enter Moorpark High School.
· Marilyn Green, Director of Grants, Assessment, and Special Project, may be reached at the District Office to address any questions or concerns related to the GATE program (531-6420). Administrators and counselors have assumed the responsibilities formerly held by GATE facilitators and are available to discuss the GATE program and student placement with parents.