The GATE program supports high-achieving and underachieving pupils who are identified as gifted and talented. By state definition, gifted students are pupils who possess a capacity for excellence far beyond that of their chronological peers. This capacity includes many and varied characteristics that require modifications of curriculum and instruction. These modifications form the basis of gifted and talented educational services.
The IB PYP curricular framework is considered an enriched curriculum suitable for advanced students. Students are integrated into cluster classes with differentiated learning opportunities. All third- through fifth-grade classrooms are designated GATE clusters.
Every teacher at Birney is encouraged to become certified in GATE teaching strategies; in grades 3-5, it is required. Currently, 66 percent of our teachers are GATE-certified.
To learn more, visit the district's Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) page.