Lockhurst GATE Parent Meeting
A Guide for Identifying Gifted and Talented Students
and
An Overview of Our GATE Plan
Tina Choi
Orapin Chang
Process for Identification
•
•
•
•
Search and Referral
Screening
Committee Review
District Verification
Major Categories of Identification
•
•
•
•
•
•
Intellectual Ability
High Achievement Ability
Specific Academic Ability
Creative Ability
Leadership Ability
Ability in the Performing or Visual Arts
Criteria for the Intellectual Category
Students must meet ALL of the criteria for this category.
• One semester observation by the teacher.
• Supportive descriptions of behavior by
the teacher and/or parent.
• Teacher observations, review of student’s
cumulative record and sample of student
work.
• Evidence of intellectual ability.
• Superior cognitive abilities on
standardized adminstration of an
intelligence test administered by a LAUSD
psychologist.
• Students can only be tested one time.
Criteria for the High Achieving Category
• Grade 4 and above: Two current
consecutive years of advanced
achievement in ELA and Mathematics on
the CST
• Grade 2 only: A score of 95% on the total
Age Percentile Rank (APR) score on the
OLSAT or a score of 90-94% on the total
APR along with a scaled score of 445 or
above in ELA and a scaled score of 450 or
above in math on the CST.
• OLSAT test may only be taken once.
Criteria for the Specific Academic Ability Category
• Grade 4 and above: Three current
consecutive years of highly
advanced achievement in ELA or
Mathematics on the CST.
Criteria for the Creative Ability Category
Grade 4 and above
• Results of 95% or above on a
standardized rating assessment scale for
Creative Ability
• Portfolio assessment
• Documentation of outstanding ability or
the potential for such ability as evidenced
by community recognition and teacher
evaluation
• Teacher observations, review of student’s
cumulative record, and sample of student
work must provide support for a
recommendation of assessment
Criteria for the Leadership Ability Category
Grade 4 and above
• Results of 95% or above on a
standardized rating assessment scale for
Leadership Ability
• Portfolio assessment
• Documentation of outstanding ability or
the potential for such ability as evidenced
by community recognition and teacher
evaluation
• Teacher observations, review of student’s
cumulative record, and sample of student
work must provide support for a
recommendation of assessment
Criteria for the Performing Arts Category
Grade 2 and above
• Documentation of outstanding ability
or the potential for such ability as
evidenced by parent and student
questionnaires and
• Recommendation(s) by teacher(s)
verifying the degree of excellence
and
• Demonstration of talent at a
Districtwide audition
• The performing arts include dance,
drama, and music (voice).
Criteria for the Visual Arts Category
Grade 2 and above
• Documentation of outstanding
ability or the potential for such
ability as evidenced by parent and
student questionnaires and
• Recommendation(s) by teacher(s)
verifying the degree of excellence
and
• Portfolio Assessment Districtwide
audition
OLSAT FAQs
What is the OLSAT-8?
• The OLSAT stands for the Otis-Lennon School
Ability test version 8 and is used to identify
gifted students in the high achieving category.
OLSAT FAQs
Who will be tested?
• All second graders, including students with disabilities
and English learners. In most cases, students will be
tested by their classroom teacher.
• Students who are exempt include
a) students who take the CAPA
b) students previously identified as gifted in the
intellectual category
c) students whose parents have requested nonparticipation
OLSAT FAQs
Why administer the OLSAT district wide?
• Analysis of 2009 pilot data indicates that this
assessment supports the District’s goal to
improve the District’s identification process
and to increase access, particularly of
underrepresented students, to this
educational program.
OLSAT FAQs
Is the OLSAT an IQ test?
• No, the OLSAT is an achievement test.
OLSAT FAQs
What are the qualifying scores?
• The total score must be 95% or above in order to
qualify for the High Achievement category this year.
OR
• If the student receives a 90-94%, then they may still
qualify with their 2012 CST scores. The student must
meet the cutoff criteria of having scaled scores of 445
in English Language Arts AND 450 in Math.
OR
• Low SES students who receives a score of 90-94%.
OLSAT FAQs
What types of questions will be asked on the
OLSAT?
• Detecting likenesses and differences
• Recalling words and numbers
• Defining words
• Following directions
• Classifying
• Establishing Sequence
• Solving arithmetic problems
• Completing Analogies
OLSAT FAQs
If the second grade student is identified gifted
in the High Achievement Category, do they
need to re-apply for the category next year?
• No. As with all gifted categories in the LAUSD,
once a student is identified gifted, the gifted
label will remain with the student for the
duration of his/her enrollment at LAUSD.
OLSAT FAQs
Can my child take the test again if he/she does
not pass?
• Currently, the OLSAT is only being
administered to second graders.
• The test can only be taken once in the second
grade.
OLSAT FAQs
What are the test administration dates?
• March 14, 2012 and/or March 15, 2012
Make-up testing date:
• Wednesday, March 21, 2012
OLSAT FAQs
When will schools receive the results?
• Scores will be sent directly to the school some
time in May. We will send the scores home as
soon as we receive them.
GATE Plan
Kindergarten
• Students are introduced to and familiarized
with the Depth and Complexity prompts.
• Critical and creative thinking skills are
developed during the year to supplement and
enrich the core curriculum.
• Students are introduced to technology and
taught basic computer and word processing
skills.
First Grade
• Students continue to utilize the Depth and
Complexity prompts.
• Students are given opportunities to use critical
and creative thinking skills in tiered
assignments according to their interest and
capabilities.
• Students are taught how to use technology to
access information through appropriate sites
on the internet.
Second Grade
• Students are taught to utilize critical and
creative thinking skills to research fossils and
dinosaurs and how animals camouflage.
• The use of the Depth and Complexity prompts
flows into all areas of study.
Third Grade
• Third grade students are taught to utilize the
Depth and Complexity prompts.
• The goal for all students is that they increase
rigor by developing their own ability to create
their own analytical, factual, and evaluative
questions with the prompts.
Fourth Grade
• Students are encouraged to be more actively
involved and responsible in their own
learning.
• Students are pre-assessed in order to compact
the curriculum so they can focus on
individualized projects.
Fifth Grade
• Students independently research and study
topics of their own interest.
• Students develop PowerPoint presentations
according to rigorous criteria that they
develop together. The criteria parallel the
state standards.
www.scholarlylions.edublogs.org