Gifted and Talented Education Program

In this blog, we are going to share some information about the Fullerton School District GATE program. Since the GATE program is not a California-mandated program, each school district may develop its own method and criteria in identifying gifted and talented students.

Why GATE Identification Matters?

In the Fullerton school district, students identified as GATE are placed in a GATE Cluster Class with other students recognized as gifted and talented. These classes are taught by specifically GATE-trained teachers who teach curriculum and methods designed for GATE students. As a gifted student goes on to 7th and 8th grade, they will be required to take one GATE/Honors class with other gate students. These classes may include Language Arts and History. As the student enters high school, they will keep their GATE identification; however, they may need to meet additional requirements to take Honors or Advance Placement classes.

When will my student be given the GATE test?

Students will be tested in November.

All students who are in 2nd grade will be able to participate in the GATE testing. Parents will be provided with a letter notifying them of the testing date and if they would like their child to participate in the test. Additionally, for 2nd-grade students, the test consists of two rounds. Should the student pass the 1st round in November, they will move to the second round in December.

For those students in 3rd – 8th grade, if they are referred and qualify, they will participate in one round of testing.

When will I get my student's results?

You will receive a letter notifying you of your student's test results in January. These letters are sent by the GATE office and are presented as a percentage based on how the student performs compared to other students nationally. The score is not based on the number of correct answers the student received on the test, but their performance compared to the norm of their age group.

What kind of questions are on the GATE test?

The GATE test is an ability test that assesses a student's verbal and nonverbal reasoning skills. The questions can include sequencing, arithmetic problems, analogies, defining words, identifying similarities and differences. The specific areas that will be assessed in the identification process mandated by the Fullerton school district are reasoning, problem-solving, verbal comprehension, verbal reasoning, pictorial reasoning, figural reasoning, and quantitative reasoning.

What happens if my student is identified as gifted?

After your student has been identified as GATE, they will be asked if they would like to participate in the program. Should your student proceed with the GATE program, they may have to go to a designated school where they will be with other GATE students. Students may also choose to remain at their homeschool, where they will be placed in a GATE cluster class. Furthermore, if your student chooses not to participate in the GATE program, they will retain their GATE identification as long as they attend the Fullerton School District.

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