This information was produced by the staff of the Belin-Blank International Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development (B-BC) at the University of Iowa (belinblank.org). The resources and information listed here are for informational purposes; there is no direct or implied endorsement by the B-BC. Services provided by the B-BC include programs for academically talented K-12 and college students, professional development for teachers, the Assessment and Counseling Clinic, the Acceleration Institute (accelerationinstitute.org), and graduate programs and research in gifted education.

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State Policies in California  

California does not have a state acceleration policy. LEA's make acceleration decisions.

Grade-based Acceleration

Early entrance to kindergarten

State policy leaves LEA to determine. Specific language regarding Early Kindergarten admission can be found here. 


Early entrance to 1st grade

State policy permits. Specific language regarding Early Entrance to First Grade can be found here. 


Whole-grade acceleration

State policy leaves LEA to determine what, if any, acceleration practices are used in their gifted education programs.

According to California EC 52206, programs for gifted and talented students "shall be planned and organized as an integrated, differentiated learning experience within the regular school day, and may be augmented or supplemented with other differentiated activities related to the core curriculum using such strategies as independent study, acceleration, postsecondary education, and enrichment." Each LEA is tasked with determining which curricular components will be most appropriate for participating students in their school district.

Early high school graduation

State policy specifically permits.

The California Department of Education Early Graduation FAQs may be useful to students who are considering graduating early, and the California Graduation Requirements table also includes useful information.

State Gifted SchoolThe California Academy of Mathematics and Science
Early entrance to collegeState policy permits. California State University's Los Angeles campus offers an Early Entry Program (EEP) and the University of Southern California offers a Residential Honors Program (RHP) for students who wish to enter college early in California.

Content-based Acceleration

Dual or concurrent enrollment in community college, college, or universityState policy leaves LEA to determine whether and to what extent dual enrollment in college is permitted, and whether students can be awarded high school credit for college courses. Information on dual enrollment at California Community Colleges or University of California can be found here. 
Middle school students permitted dual or concurrent enrollment in high school

No state policy; up to LEA to determine whether dual enrollment in middle school and high school is allowed, and if so, whether high school graduation credit is awarded for courses taken while in middle school.
Advanced Placement®

State policy permits. Information about AP courses in California can be found here. 


Talent SearchCalifornia State University, Sacramento (Sacramento State) offers Academic Talent Search (ATS) and accelerated classes for students entering 7-12th grade in the greater Sacramento area.
Credit by examination/proficiency-based promotion

No state policy; up to LEA to determine whether proficiency-based promotion is allowed, and if so, the methods to demonstrate it. LEA also determine advancement options after proficiency and whether graduation credit is awarded for proficiency.
Other forms of content-based acceleration

Typically left to LEAs to determine. If you know of state-level code, please e-mail us.

Additional Information

California Department of Education Gifted Website
California Department of Education
California Association for the Gifted (CAG) -- CAG Position Paper on Acceleration

The information presented on this page was compiled from a variety of resources, including the State of the States in Gifted Education 2020-2021 (a report by the Council of State Directors of Programs for the Gifted and the National Association for Gifted Children), Websites, professional literature, and personal communication. The Acceleration Institute has not verified the accuracy of this information and does not warrant its accuracy or fitness of use for any purpose. Users should verify information prior to taking any action. Furthermore, the appearance of selected programs and/or resources does not imply an endorsement or affiliation. Programs and resources are highlighted for informational purposes only.