Gifted and talented pupils: identification.

Existing law authorizes the governing board of a school district to establish programs for gifted and talented pupils and requires an applicant school district to submit an application for approval for a proposed program to the State Board of Education. The state board is required to review the criteria for program approval at least once every 4 years. The review is required to address, among other program elements, the identification of gifted and talented pupils. This bill would require the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to review its criteria for the approval of teacher and administrator preparation programs to include training on the identification and appropriate instruction of gifted and talented pupils. The bill would require the State Department of Education to ensure that each staff person providing or receiving services through the pupil retention block grant program, the professional development block grant, the beginning teacher support and assessment system, the administrator training program, the high priority schools grant program, and the mathematics and reading professional development program be provided training to allow and encourage the identification of gifted and talented pupils from traditionally underrepresented populations.