EUSD supports its gifted and high-achieving students!
GATE students and high-achieving students need learning opportunities that match their capacity for more advanced and complex work. EUSD recognizes that both gifted and high-achieving students need differentiated instruction. Our vision is to continue to improve our program for GATE/High-Achievers Program providing them multiple opportunities to learn and interact with each other.
GATE Testing 2023
Registration
for testing in
2023 has
CLOSED.
***DEADLINE to register was
January 20, 2023
GATE Testing Option - We partner with CSUS for testing through their Counseling and Diagnostic Services. Please follow this LINK for more information and to complete the Interest Form.
We must receive the score report by April to assist the sites with class placements.
Grades 4-8 Testing
Your child is welcome to test for free the second time. You will still need to complete Tasks 1 and 2 above.
How many GATE students are there in EUSD?
Approximately 220 students (Grades 3 -8) attend EUSD schools! This number is for the 21-22 academic year. GATE students constitute 6.6% of the total student population of 3,163 (TK - 8th).
If only the testing population is considered, gifted students constitute 10% of our entire district population.
How many high-achieving students are there in EUSD?
From 2020-21 CAASPP data, 40% of EUSD students are exceeding standards in ELA and 36% in Math. Approximately 1/3 to almost 1/2 of our student population is exceeding standards in a pandemic-affected, chaotic school year. Prior to the pandemic, 2019, 43% (ELA) and 42% (Math) of our students are exceeding grade-level standards!
We want to have our child qualify for the GATE Program!
Please watch out for a letter of invitation to be sent from our office before the winter break (~ approximately December 9). You MUST register your student to participate in testing. To complete your registration, you must submit a signed and completed TESTING CONSENT FORM by the end of January 20, 2023. Testing will be conducted at all TK-3 sites. Additional testing sites will be scheduled.
Who is eligible to test?
We welcome all 2nd graders! An invitation to participate in the testing is emailed to all 2nd - 7th grade students.
All students get a 2nd opportunity for a FREE test. Unfortunately, EUSD does not have the resources (funding, staffing, and time) to test all students every year.
We have partnered with CSUS for NNAT-3 testing. Our district uses the Naglieri Non-Verbal Test of Ability, 3rd edition.
Two Program Delivery Options in ALPS (GATE and High Achievers)
Cluster Grouping of GATE Students
At Excelsior Elementary and all TK-3 sites, GATE students are grouped in clusters and placed in a GATE Certified Teacher's classroom. This class is heterogeneous by nature, but placement protocols aim to not place at-risk and high needs students in this class to allow the teacher to differentiate without such a wide diversity in learning needs, and support the needs of all groups. EUSD is fortunate to have many teachers who are GATE-certified and able to differentiate not only for GATE students, but also for high-achieving students.
Homogeneous Grouping of GATE Students
At Ridgeview Elementary School, GATE students are placed in homogeneous classrooms with a GATE Certified Teacher. If the numbers are not enough to make up 1 class, this GATE class will include non-GATE, high performing students (CAASPP scores and teacher referrals are utilized). In such classrooms, teachers differentiate instruction by increasing depth and complexity of learning tasks assigned (this is also done in cluster-grouped classrooms).
GATE Certification for Teachers
EUSD provides multiple opportunities for teachers to learn about ways to differentiate instruction for gifted (and high achieving) students. These differentiation strategies include varying levels of complexity and depth for any lesson. Teachers learn, collaborate, and discuss research on effective instruction for gifted students. A total of 18 hours of course work and 9 hours of developing differentiated lessons is required to be GATE-certified at EUSD.
GATE/High Achievers' Camp
Every summer, EUSD offers inquiry-based learning opportunities for GATE/HA students focused on the thinking skills under STEAM: reasoning, design thinking, creativity, and critical thinking. EUSD uses the award winning Engineering is Elementary curriculum for its GATE/HA Camps. There is a small fee collected for these camps.