Gifted & Talented Program (GATE)
Overview of GATE Instruction
Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) instruction in the Fountain Valley School District is designed to address the academic needs of GATE-identified students through enriched or advanced instruction. The program enables students to utilize accessible resources, collaborate effectively, explore innovative solutions, and challenge their creative abilities. GATE students receive instruction in core subjects that focus on California’s rigorous academic content standards.
Instruction includes:
- Depth and Complexity: This method differentiates learning by concentrating on the complexity of subjects, fostering advanced reasoning, and encouraging creative thinking.
- Understanding of Self and Others: GATE also promotes self-awareness, building on students' unique learning styles, interests, and talents.
The district offers two instructional settings for GATE students:
- Cluster Groupings (Grades 4-5): Identified GATE students are grouped within the regular classroom and receive differentiated instruction during the school day from a GATE-certified teacher.
- Part-Time Core Grouping (Grades 6-8): Identified GATE students are grouped in middle schools for core content classes, typically in English Language Arts and History/Social Science. The Advanced Math pathway is also available for GATE students. Differentiated instructional activities are provided by teachers who meet District certification criteria.
Whether teaching in the Cluster Groupings or Part-Time Core Grouping model, GATE teachers employ various instructional methodologies—including the Depth & Complexity Prompts—to address the unique needs of students identified as gifted. Some teachers may utilize an integrated approach to differentiate the core curriculum by extending instruction before, during, or after a unit of core study. Teachers may also intertwine two or more elements of depth and complexity while teaching a specific core content topic or bridge connections between two core content areas or disciplines. They prioritize a differentiated curriculum approach as the main focus of their classroom program.
GATE Identification Timeline
Please note: Testing is only for students currently enrolled in FVSD schools.
- October: GATE Parent Consent Forms are available online for 3rd graders. Forms are also available in the school office for grades 4-7 who need repeat testing.
- November 30: Parent Consent Forms are due by 3:00 pm. This deadline is firm.
- January/February: Parents are notified about GATE testing.
- Late February/March: GATE test (Otis-Lennon School Ability Test, OLSAT 8) is administered at each school site.
- June: Parents are notified electronically of the test results.
FVSD GATE Qualification Criteria (Grades 3-7)
The screening process to identify students as gifted is based on multiple measures. Students in grades 3-7 may test for GATE a total of three times (never more than two consecutive years) throughout their enrollment in FVSD. Universal screening is conducted in the 3rd grade and through the parent nomination process for students in 4th grade through the 7th grade.
In FVSD, there are two sets of GATE qualification criteria. One criterion is for general population students, and the second is for students from groups historically underrepresented in GATE programs. The second criterion applies to students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, English learners, students receiving special education services, or other under-represented groups.
| General Population Criteria | ||
| Pathway #1 | ||
| General Intellectual Ability (Students must meet all criteria to qualify) | ||
| Screener | Minimum Score | |
| Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT) | 95th Percentile | |
| Teacher Survey | Minimum Score of 14 | |
| Pathway #2 | ||
| High Achievement (12 points needed to qualify) | ||
| Screener | Minimum Score | |
| Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT) | 95th-99th Percentile | 6 points |
| 89th-94th Percentile | 5 points | |
| Teacher Survey | Score of 14-15 | 3 points |
| Score of 12-13 | 2 points | |
| SBAC Results - ELA | Level 4 | 3 points |
| Level 3 | 2 points | |
| SBAC Results - Math | Level 4 | 3 points |
| Level 3 | 2 points | |
| Special Populations Criteria | ||
| Pathway #1 | ||
| General Intellectual Ability (Students must meet all criteria to qualify) | ||
| Screener | Minimum Score | |
| Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT) | 93rd Percentile | |
| Teacher Survey | Minimum Score of 13 | |
| Pathway #2 | ||
| High Achievement (12 points needed to qualify) | ||
| Screener | Minimum Score | |
| Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT) | 93rd-99th Percentile | 6 points |
| 85th-92nd Percentile | 5 points | |
| Teacher Survey | Score of 13-15 | 3 points |
| Score of 11-12 | 2 points | |
| SBAC Results - ELA | Level 4 | 3 points |
| Level 3 | 2 points | |
| SBAC Results - Math | Level 4 | 3 points |
| Level 3 | 2 points | |
General Population Criteria
Pathway #1 – General Intellectual Ability
Students must meet all criteria to qualify.
| Screener | Minimum Score |
|---|---|
| Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT) | 95th Percentile |
| Teacher Survey | Minimum Score of 14 |
Pathway #2 – High Achievement
Students must earn a total of 12 points to qualify.
| Screener | Score | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT) | 95th–99th Percentile | 6 points |
| Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT) | 89th–94th Percentile | 5 points |
| Teacher Survey | Score of 14–15 | 3 points |
| Teacher Survey | Score of 12–13 | 2 points |
| SBAC Results – ELA | Level 4 | 3 points |
| SBAC Results – ELA | Level 3 | 2 points |
| SBAC Results – Math | Level 4 | 3 points |
| SBAC Results – Math | Level 3 | 2 points |