Jeff’s ongoing study of comparable school districts found something nice in Walnut Creek: the WCSD publishes an eloquent 2-page position paper (PDF, 6/28/2010) on their GATE program, that proclaims an enviable standard for differentiation:

“…differentiation of instruction is an integral part of each school day, along with challenging opportunities for GATE students to work together to extend their learning. … At the elementary level, teachers create a Differentiated Instruction Plan. This plan is developed by the teacher and shared with parents at a parent-teacher conference. These plans, tailored to meet the interests and abilities of each student, show how the teacher provides opportunities for these students to move beyond the standards or deeper in their current grade level standards using a unique process, topic or project in an area of interest to the student. Student progress on the Differentiated Instruction Plan is evaluated by the classroom teacher each trimester.”

This is very good stuff. First, there’s a standard. Second, the standard is a good one: specific, actionable, measurable, shared, and individualized. This may be something we can hold up as a model.  Carmel schools also sound strong.