Informational GATE Meeting
Topic: Identification
(LAUSD Policy)
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Agenda
 GATE Identification Process
 Categories of Identification
 Identification Criteria
 Additional Information
 Questions
Identification Process
 Search and referral (should begin with teacher)
 Screening (teacher and GATE Coordinators)
 Review (GATE Coordinators)
 LAUSD Verification
Categories of Identification
1.
Intellectual Ability:
Students whose general intellectual development is markedly advanced
in relation to their chronological peers. Advanced scores on CST in
ELA or Math
2.
High Achievement:
Grade 4 and above: Students who consistently function for two
consecutive years at highly advanced levels in both English-Language
Arts and Math.
Grade 2 only: Students who demonstrate high achievement on a
nationally standardized, norm-referenced, group-administered measure
of verbal and non-verbal abilities.
3.
Specific Academic Ability:
Students who consistently function for three consecutive years at highly
advanced levels in either English-Language Arts or Math.
Criteria for Identification
Intellectual Ability

1 semester of observation by teacher

Review of cums, report cards, student work

Evidence of intellectual ability, including but not limited to:

Advanced reasoning ability

Superior vocabulary

Rapid acquisition of a 2nd language

Demonstrated advanced academic ability, i.e. two years above grade level in
reading comprehension, and mathematical reasoning and problem-solving

Accelerated rate of learning new tasks
OR

Scaled scores in the advanced level on state tests

A pattern of advanced academic ability or an indication of the potential for
advanced academic performance
Intellectual Ability (cont’d)
 DESIGNATION only if:
 District GATE office approves initial paperwork for
Intellectual Ability testing
 Intellectual Ability testing:
 Gifted: score of 95 to 99.8%
 Highly Gifted Applicable: score of 99.5 to 99.8%
 Highly Gifted: score of 99.9%
High Achievement Ability
(Grades 4 and above)
 2 current, consecutive years of advanced achievement in
ELA and Math
 ELA: 450
 Math: 455
 Must be a minimum of 3 out of 4 test scores on State test
 1 score may be replaced with grade of “4” in
achievement in both 2nd and 3rd report cards of the given
subject area (Reading or Math)
High Achievement Ability
(Grade 2 ONLY)
OLSAT-8
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Otis Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT) 8th edition
Administered to all second graders in LAUSD in March
Nationally standardized, norm-referenced achievement
test (from Pearson Publishers) measuring verbal and
non-verbal school abilities
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–
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Perceive accurately
Recognize and recall those perceptions
Think logically
Understand relationships
Abstract from a set of particulars
Generalize to new and different contexts
NOT an IQ test
Sample OLSAT Questions
Qualifying OLSAT Scores
(Total Age-Based Percentile Score or “Age PR-S”)
•
•
95th percentile and above, OR
90th and 94th percentile must ALSO have both of the
following CST scores for 2nd Grade:
– ELA: 450 or above
– Math: 455 or above
Specific Academic Ability
 Grade 4 and above
 3 current, consecutive years of advanced achievement in
ELA or Math
 ELA: 450
 Math: 455
 1 score may be replaced with grade of “4” in 2nd and 3rd
trimester report card of the given subject area (Reading
or Math)
 Grade may NOT be substituted for the most current year
Additional Information
 Magnet school applications (CHOICES brochure) for
2014-2015 due on November 15, 2013
 See your child’s classroom teacher, first, if you have
questions about GATE eligibility or differentiation in the
classroom
 District GATE office is currently understaffed, so
processing of paperwork may take a long time
 Once designated, designation may show up on report card
before school receives formal notification
Questions