The Orange Unified School District offers qualitatively differentiated programs for students possessing the capacity for excellence beyond that of their chronological peers. The curriculum is differentiated to provide a variety of instructional strategies structured so that individual student experiences and activities can vary in acceleration, depth, complexity or degree of novelty. These programs are available at all levels of the District's curriculum for the purpose of challenging and developing the academic and creative abilities of identified advanced learners.
Gifted students generally demonstrate extraordinary talent or ability in the areas of academics, visual and performing arts, intellectual capacity, or leadership. The characteristics of an individual gifted student may include the following:
- Observant - notice changes around them
- Curious - they investigate discrepancies or happenings
- Questioning - they want to know “Why”?
- Logical - they see cause and effect relationships and connections
- Expressive - they use advanced vocabulary and are quite articulate
- Inventive - they reason in clever, unique ways to find original solutions to problems
- Versatile - they may participate in lots of activities and adapt readily to new situations
- Persistent - they stay with a task and become intensely focused
- Sensitive - they are very empathetic to others
- Perceptive - they see the essence of a situation
Students qualify for GATE identification both in ability and in performance.
For students in grades 2-6 (entering grades 3-7)
There are two categories of identification in these grades as outlined in the State approved GATE Plan.
The first is the “High Intellectual.” For a student to be identified in this category, he or she must meet the following criteria:
- A score in the 95th percentile or higher on a school ability exam ~ Orange Unified currently uses the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT) for 4th-6th grade and the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) for 2nd-3rd grade
- Student achievement records that exhibit high levels of performance
- Lexile Score in the Advanced or High Proficient Range (determined by either Scholastic Reading Inventory or Accelerated Reader)
- Quantile Score in the Advanced or High Proficient Range as determined by the Scholastic Math Inventory
- A strong recommendation from the student’s current classroom teacher as indicated by the Student Profile of Gifted Characteristics
*Students who qualify for “High Intellectual” are given priority for enrollment in the GATE Magnet classrooms.
The second is the “High Achievement.” For a student to be identified in this category, a review of the following criteria is evaluated for qualification:
- Score on a Orange Unified administered school ability exam ~ Orange Unified currently uses the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT) for 4th-6th grade and the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) for 2nd-3rd grade
- Student achievement records that exhibit strong levels of performance
- Recommendation from the student’s current classroom teacher as indicated by the Student Profile of Gifted Characteristics
- Lexile Score in the High Proficient Range as determined by either Scholastic Reading Inventory or Accelerated Reader
- Quantile score in the High Proficient Range as determined by the Scholastic Math Inventory
*Please note that students qualifying in grades 5 and 6 will be waitlisted for GATE Magnet classrooms due to lack of seats in the GATE Magnets.
For elementary age students coming from outside the Orange Unified School District
Students enrolled in private schools and are residents within the boundaries of Orange USD are eligible to be screened for the GATE Program. Students will be required to meet the same identified criteria as noted above. Testing of private school students in facilitated on two Saturday mornings in February/March and there is a fee of $25.00 that is charged.
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. Orange USD does not accept out of state GATE identification of students or results from a private clinical or licensed educational psychologist.
For further information regarding the GATE Program, please contact:
Administrative Director, K-12 Curriculum & Instruction
Coordinator, 21st Century Innovation & Instructional Design
250 S. Yorba Street, Orange, CA 92869
GATE Office: (714) 628-5451
Senior Secretary, GATE & CTE