Master Plan Appendix: Procedures for Placement

Procedures for Elementary, Junior High and High School Placement

PROCEDURES FOR ELEMENTARY PLACEMENT

OF INTELLECTUALLY GIFTED STUDENTS REQUESTING THE SELF-CONTAINED GATE PROGRAM

Identified third graders applying for fourth grade GATE:

1.             If more than four classes of qualified students request placement in the district-wide 4^th grade GATE self-contained program, students will be rank-ordered first by their Total Score; should a tie occur, a second level of ranking will be by the higher subtest score—verbal or nonverbal.

2.             Once the initial pool of students has been determined using rank-order scores, students are assigned in groups not to exceed 30 students to a specific self-contained class based on geography.  First consideration is given to a student whose sibling attends the GATE program within the neighborhood zone.

3.             Students are assigned to each of the area GATE Schools depending on their neighborhood school of residence defined as follows:

a.      Students living in the Willett and Patwin attendance areas are initially assigned to the Willett self-contained GATE site.

b.      Students living in the Pioneer and Montgomery attendance areas are initially assigned to the Pioneer self-contained GATE site.

c.      Students living in the North Davis attendance area and Birch Lane students living closer to North Davis are initially assigned to the North Davis self-contained GATE site as well as those who indicated they would accept a second choice placement if their area GATE School is full unless there is a vacancy at a GATE site that is geographically closer then North Davis.

d.      Students living in the Korematsu attendance area and those Birch Lane students living closer to Korematsu as well as qualified students in the initial pool who indicated they would accept a second choice placement if their area GATE School is full will be assigned to the Korematsu self-contained site unless there is a vacancy at a GATE site that is geographically closer than Korematsu.

If there are more students assigned to an area GATE school than there are spaces, places will be filled in rank-order.

4.             Any vacancy that resulted from a student in the original district-wide pool who declined his/her school site placement will be offered first to the highest-ranked student who was placed outside his/her area.  If no one has been placed outside his/her area, the place will be offered to the highest-ranked, qualified student on the waiting list who indicated a willingness to attend the site with the opening.

5.             Lastly, requests for transfers between area GATE Schools from students within the district pool are then accommodated on a space available basis using the rank-order scores.

6.             If more students qualify than can be placed, a rank-ordered waiting list of these students is formed and in effect from April of the current school year until April of the following school year.  The rank-order is determined by the same criteria described above.  Students who qualify after the list is formed are added to the bottom of the list according to the date their paperwork for qualification is finalized.

7.             If any seats remain after students within the initial district pool have been placed, open seats are offered to students on the rank-ordered waiting list in order of their ranking.

In April of each year, the waiting list is rank-ordered to include ALL students who are qualified and requested placement in a GATE self-contained class..  

Identified fourth and fifth graders applying for fifth and sixth grade GATE:

1. Once enrolled in a self-contained GATE class, it is anticipated that students will remain enrolled throughout grades 4-6.  Fourth and fifth grade students are surveyed each year about their “Intent” for the next school year.  On the “Intent” card, any student who states he/she wants to return to the regular program at the neighborhood school is accommodated and students moving out of district are noted to provide a list of vacancies for the next school year. Requests for a GATE site change may be indicated on this “Intent” card.  Preference for vacancies is given to GATE students requesting to return to their area GATE site.
2. If a vacancy in a self-contained GATE class occurs, the space is first offered to the highest ranked student currently placed outside of his area GATE school.  The spot is subsequently offered by rank-order to students  currently placed outside of their area GATE school. 
3. If an opening still exists, the space is offered to the highest ranked student on the rank-ordered waiting list but who is currently attending classes in the regular program. 
4. In April of each year, the rank-ordered waiting list is determined.  The new rank-order will use the same criteria for eligibility and acceptance into the district-wide program as described above, but students in this new rank-order will include ALL eligible students who are NOT now in the self-contained program and who have indicated an interest in enrolling for the next school year.
5. GATE identified students enrolled in the district who meet all requirements for the DJUSD self-contained program, or students newly qualified after the spring deadline will be added at the bottom of the waiting list in the order of their registration.

PROCEDURES FOR JUNIOR HIGH PLACEMENT

OF INTELLECTUALLY GIFTED STUDENTS REQUESTING THE SELF-CONTAINED GATE PROGRAM

The self-contained GATE classes at Holmes and Harper and the Accelerated Core at Emerson will be demand-driven.

1. Students identified intellectually gifted moving up from the elementary self-contained classes and requesting placement in the self-contained 7^th grade will be placed first.
2. Within the district’s facilities and staffing constraints, every effort will be made to accommodate all GATE identified Davis Joint Unified School District (DJUSD) students who remained in the regular elementary education program and now request self-contained GATE placement at Holmes and Harper Junior High regardless of their school of residence.  Rank-ordered scores will be used to fill as many sections as possible.  Any student not placed, will be wait listed by rank order score for the first available vacancy.
3. GATE identified students requesting the GATE/High Achieving Core at Emerson will be placed regardless of school residence.  Intellectually gifted students will be placed with identified high-achieving Emerson students.  An adequate number of sections will be offered within the district’s facilities and staffing constraints.
4. Students who meet all qualifications for the DJUSD program and who arrive in Davis after classes have been formed are placed on a waiting list in the order of their registration dates. 
5. Students requesting placement in self-contained classes but reside outside the Davis attendance area may be admitted if space is available. (See Board Policy and Administrative Procedures regarding the district IDT program.)

PROCEDURES FOR HIGH SCHOOL PLACEMENT

OF INTELLECTUALLY GIFTED STUDENTS REQUESTING THE SELF-CONTAINED GATE PROGRAM

1. Qualified students request classes on the annual program planner.  Students continuing from 9^th grade self-contained GATE are given priority in placement.Those who enroll, if confirmed by the GATE Office as qualified, will be placed.