The California GATE Admissions standards may vary across each district in California, since the standards are under local control across the state, but here is a good measuring line from Fremont Unified School District.
All students have an equal opportunity to be screened for the Gifted and Talented Education program regardless of their gender, linguistic, racial, ethnic, cultural, or socio-economic background.
Every student in grades 3-5 is offered the opportunity to be tested once for GATE identification.This usually occurs in third grade as formal clustering begins in fourth grade.
Students in 6th grade and up may also be referred for GATE identification. These students will be identified through Professional Judgment or Specific Academic.
Admissions Standards for California GATE Programs
Intellectual: Students possessing superior intellectual ability who need and can profit from specially differentiated educational services beyond those normally provided by the standard school program. This is determined through an ability assessment which measures a child’s potential to learn.
Specific academic: Students who have superior ability in a specific academic area to the extent that they need and can profit from specially planned educational services beyond those normally provided by the standard school program.
Leadership: Students possessing leadership ability who, not only assume leadership roles, but also are accepted by others as a leader, to the extent that they need and can profit from specially planned educational services beyond those normally provided by the standard school program. This is determined using multiple measures.
Professional Judgment: Students who consistently function at a highly advanced level in multiple academic areas and have been recommended by an administrator, counselor, teacher, parent, student study team, and/or GATE Program Specialist. This is determined using multiple measures.