Again, gifted programs are largely not a story in CA math. Students taking Algebra in middle school are not in a separate gifted and talented program, they are just in one of many pathways as specified by the Common Core. For example, in some nice school districts, about half of the students in middle school are on track for Algebra by 8th grade.

These don't apply to any special program, there is no lottery, and they aren't hand-picked by teachers or administrators.