Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)

How does my child get screened for GATE identification?

Orange Unified screens all students in grade 3, unless parents request to "Opt out" of testing. Click HERE for an opt-out letter.

Students in grades 2, 4, and 5 may be referred for screening by parents or teachers. Parents are encouraged to discuss their child's potential for possible GATE identification with their child’s teacher. To be tested, parents must complete the online referral by the first week back in school after winter break each school year.

GATE Screening Update
The district has discontinued GATE screening for 6th graders. Screening was previously conducted in the spring of 6th grade, but it is not required for placement into secondary honors or IB classes. Students have multiple pathways to advanced coursework, with placement based on a variety of measures that reflect their strengths and readiness.

What criteria qualify my child for GATE?

OUSD utilized multiple measures to determine GATE qualification.  Below you will find the links to the detailed criteria utilized by grade level.

3rd-5th Grade Criteria
2nd Grade Criteria

What is the timeline for GATE screening?

Screening starts the last week of January and is completed by the end of March. Testing takes place at the school sites, and the schedule will be shared with you in the week preceding the test. If a student is ill during the designated testing time, make-up arrangements will be made with the principal and the GATE office.

Testing for private school students will be conducted over two days.  Due to the length of the exam, 2nd and 3rd-graders must attend both testing dates, while 4th and 5th-graders will be tested on one day.  There is a $40.00 testing fee, payable by cash or check, for all private school students. A reminder email will be sent out to all registered private school families in January.

How many tests will my child need to take?

Students will take one test. The test is a timed examination consisting of approximately 70 questions.

What happens if my child does not meet GATE identification criteria?

Students who do not meet the eligibility criteria may be re-evaluated in future grade levels if a parent or guardian requests.

What if my child does not qualify, but I see strong indications that GATE services are needed?

Parents may request that their child be considered for a "trial placement" at one of our magnet schools on a space-available basis.  Typically, such placements are available at our Palmyra and La Veta campuses.  Additionally, parents may request that their student be re-evaluated annually. Conferencing with the child's current teacher and or principal will also support the school in better understanding the child's needs. 

Is GATE identification needed to qualify/prepare my student for honors and AP secondary classes? 

No, all Orange Unified students are considered for honors coursework based on their current grades and assessment scores.  GATE qualification and/or magnet participation are not prerequisites.

Is it possible to see my child’s results after the test?

Universal screening test scores will be uploaded to the student's Aeries portal. Referred students will receive an email from the Curriculum Office by the end of April with instructions on how to access their student's results. Qualification measures are based on the Age Composite Percentile scores which have been normed on a national scale.

What kind of test is the GATE identification test?

Orange Unified School District uses nationally normed cognitive abilities tests to assess the verbal and nonverbal reasoning potential. The reasoning potential is strongly related to school success. However, this is a not a test for which a student can study. To assess reasoning potential, the test uses tasks such as detecting likeness and differences, recalling words and numbers, defining words, following directions, classifying, establishing sequence, solving arithmetic problems, and completing analogies. This is done because these tasks have been shown to be a valid measure of an individual’s ability to reason logically.

What are the differences between Ability Tests and Achievement Tests?

An ability test is a test of general reasoning skills, which is the type of test used for identifying gifted students. An achievement test is a test of developed skill or knowledge, such as the Smarter Balanced California State Standards Assessment (SBAs), or those used in classrooms to check progress, such as iReady.

Does my child lose identification if he/she does not attend a GATE Magnet school?

Once a child has been identified for GATE, they will keep the identification even if they do not choose to attend a GATE Magnet school. The majority of our students do not attend a Magnet school.

If my child was identified in another school district or state or by a private licensed psychologist, does he/she automatically qualify for the GATE Program in Orange Unified School District?

GATE is not a mandated program in California. Therefore, each district develops its own criteria for evaluation. For a student who has been identified as a GATE student in another California public school district, a record of the school ability test results must be sent to the GATE Office to be reviewed by the Administrative Director of Curriculum and Instruction prior to enrollment. Students are expected to meet the same rigorous criteria noted above. 

Will my elementary school child need to be re-tested upon entering middle school? High school?

No, once a child is identified, the identification remains valid through grade 12. All traditional OUSD high schools have Honors and Advanced Placement classes open to all qualified students. Eighth grade students who were not previously GATE identified and apply to high school Honors courses will be accepted according to academic performance and standardized achievement tests in eighth grade. GATE identification is not required for acceptance into Honors and advanced level high school classes.

What models of GATE Instruction does Orange Unified offer? Orange Unified provides both GATE magnet programs at designated schools, and cluster programs at all schools.  In the magnet program students attend a central school site and receive instruction geared to a classroom of all GATE and high achieving students. In the cluster program, students remain in their home/current school, and are grouped with other GATE and/or high achieving students to receive differentiated instruction in a diverse classroom setting. Both models are research based and provide advantages for students and families. 

If my child is offered a seat in one of the GATE Magnet Programs, which school would he/she attend? Orange Unified has four feeder pattern magnet schools and two specialized GATE programs. 

Crescent Elementary 5001 Gerda Drive. Anaheim, CA 92807 

     Feeder Schools: Anaheim Hills, Canyon Rim, Crescent, Imperial, Running Springs

La Veta Elementary 2800 East La Veta Avenue. Orange, CA 92869

     Feeder Schools: Chapman Hills, Esplanade, Jordan, La Veta, Linda Vista, Panorama, Prospect

Nohl Canyon Elementary 4100 Nohl Canyon Road Anaheim, CA 92807

     Feeder Schools: Fletcher, Nohl Canyon, Olive, Serrano, Taft, Villa Park

Palmyra Elementary 1325 E. Palmyra Ave. Orange, CA 92869

     Feeder Schools: California, Cambridge, Fairhaven, Handy, Lampson, Palmyra, Sycamore, West Orange

Specialized GATE programs
Fletcher Mandarin Language and GATE Academy 515 W Fletcher Ave, Orange, CA 92865

Running Springs International Baccalaureate and GATE  8670 Running Springs Dr, Anaheim, CA 92808

*Please Note that GATE identified students are not given priority at any of the above noted magnet programs on the basis of the magnet being their home school. Students are placed in each of the magnets based on the multiple measures analyzed in the qualification process. 

How do you decide who gets into the GATE classes and who is waitlisted? In a situation where there are more qualified GATE students than openings in a GATE Magnet class, priority is based on the multiple measures analyzed in the qualification process. Students may be considered for placement at other magnets by parent request. 

Can my child be considered for another GATE magnet school if we don’t want to go to our designated magnet school or have been waitlisted? Yes, parents may request that their qualified GATE student be offered a spot at any magnet in the district, however, priority will be given to qualified students who reside in or attend school within that feeder pattern area.  

What if my family prefers to keep my child in our home/current school? All OUSD schools are supported in providing cluster GATE classrooms for identified GATE and high achieveing students. Cluster classrooms typically have groups of 4-10 GATE and/or high acheiving students.  Teachers will receive support in differentiation strategies to meet these students' learning needs.  

What happens if my child is GATE identified in 2nd grade, but the GATE magnet for my home school does not begin until 4th grade? Your child will receive differentiated instruction and placed into a 3rd grade GATE/high achieving cluster. Placement offers for the 4th grade GATE magnet class will be determined in the spring of the 3rd grade year, utilizing the student's abilities test age percentile rank and current achievement data. Families will have the opportunity to attend orientation meetings before making a decision. 

If my child is offered a space in the GATE Magnet and declines it, will he/she have an opportunity for a space in future years? Yes, if space in the magnet is available. If there is no space, students will be placed at the bottom of the waitlist despite their percentile ranking. This allows for equity and access for all GATE identified students. It is imperative that families understand that there are waitlists for most magnet programs thus, the decision on accepting a magnet placement when offered is critical.

Is transportation provided by the district for my child to the GATE Magnet school site? No, parents are responsible for providing transportation to and from the GATE school location.

Can siblings of GATE identified students attend the same school site? Siblings of GATE identified students may enroll in the same school site as long as space is available. Parents will need to work with the school principal on placement through the Open Enrollment process.

Will my child have the opportunity to visit the GATE magnet school? Qualified students and their parents will receive an invitation to the GATE orientation at their designated GATE magnet school with their acceptance letter. The letter will denote if the student has secured a seat in the classroom or has been waitlisted. Please note that some waitlist parents do not feel that it is in the best interest for their child to attend the orientation, as they may be disappointed if they do not secure a place in the GATE Program. So we ask that families use their best judgment.

What happens if my child qualifies for the GATE program but is waitlisted because the class if full? Your student will be placed in a cluster classroom at his or her home or current school. Students in cluster classrooms receive grade-level appropriate differentiated instruction and have the opportunity to work and interact with other GATE and high achieving peers.  Families may also consider requesting a placement at another GATE magnet where space is available. 

How is a GATE class different than a general education class?

In both GATE magnet and Cluster classrooms, instruction is differentiated. Differentiation does not mean more of the same work. Rather, it is an extension of the core curriculum. Four popular ways to accomplish this differentiation are acceleration, adding depth, increasing complexity, and providing opportunities for novelty. While the same district adopted textbooks are used, additional materials are incorporated to enhance the curriculum. Instructional decisions are made by the classroom teacher based on the needs of the students in the class. Although each classroom is unique teachers will use common strategies such as Sandra Kaplan's Depth and Complexity icons and Habits of Scholarliness. 

What if we want our GATE identified student to stay at their home school?

Students identified as GATE may decide to remain in attendance at their home school. In fact, a large majority of identified GATE students do remain at their home schools due to the high caliber of instruction that is provided. Every attempt is made to cluster GATE students together by grade level at their home school. Differentiation of instruction is facilitated to meet the needs of each GATE student within the clustered classroom.

Do GATE Magnet students stay in the same classroom all day?

The teams of GATE teachers at each school collaborate to provide a rich instructional experience for their students, so students may rotate classrooms during the school day.

Are the GATE Magnet students isolated or do they get to associate with other general education students?

GATE students are not isolated and share the same recess and lunch times as general education students. They also attend the same field trips and assemblies as their grade level peers.

My child is involved in several extracurricular activities.  Will the added rigor of this program be too much for him/her?

Many successful GATE students participate in extracurricular sports, music, and other programs. However, most students find they need some unscheduled time during the day and/or week to maintain a healthy attitude and perform at their best.

How much homework will my child receive?

Several factors influence the amount of time a child will spend on homework including whether a student is involved in a long term project, in addition to the daily assigned work; the accelerated pace of the program; and how well the student uses class time to complete assignments during the day. In any given GATE classroom, some students will finish homework in a relatively short time, while other will take much longer. In general, students with good time management skills find the amount of homework to be fair.

If a child does not do well in the GATE class, can they go back to their home school?

Occasionally, teachers and parents working together determine that the GATE Program is not a good match for a particular child. If a student is struggling in the GATE classroom, the parents, teacher, and principal should collaboratively determine what next steps would be in the best interest of the student.