Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) is a district program with a focus on the identification of students who are gifted (grades 3-5 elementary schools) and meeting their needs through specialized curriculum resources, instructional strategies, and teacher training at each of our elementary schools.
For questions regarding GATE specifically, please email our GATE Facilitator, Ms. Shawn Kivley, at the email link provided on this page. If you have questions about one of our Academy for Advanced Learning schools, often referred to as GATE academies, please contact the specific school using one of the links below. Thank you!
We hope you explore the many resources available on our website!
GATE Testing:
GATE Testing has been completed for most elementary students for the 2022-2023 school year. The testing department has set make-up dates and has, or will be contacting parents soon for make-up opportunities.
Results: The goal is to share your child's qualification status with you by our December break. Testing will send this notification to your home directly via a letter indicating if your child has qualified or not.
If your child has not qualified, there is nothing to return. Your child will not be able to retake the test once they have taken it this school year. The test is standardized and requires one year between assessment opportunities.
If your child has qualified, you will receive a separate notice that you can turn in to your child's teacher upon receipt or wait until the parents' informational meeting on Feb. 13 at the ESC (District Office) in the Boardroom from 5:30-6:30. The notice to participate gives us, as your child's district, permission to edit their records and mark them as GATE. Your child will still attend the same elementary school unless you apply for, and are accepted to the Academy for Advanced Learning at Theodore Judah or the Riverview STEM Academy. As stated above, each of our elementary schools is a GATE school.
The GATE test we use is a nonverbal, culturally neutral assessment of general ability, which is accepted as being well suited for identifying gifted & talented students. The screening does not require English language skills or specific content knowledge that is taught in school. This screening allows students to demonstrate their ability to think and reason by figuring out problems that are presented through a complex series of geometric shapes and designs.
PLEASE NOTE: If your child has qualified for GATE, your child will be supported in his / her current classroom. Additionally, this does not guarantee admission to one of our academy schools. ALL academies have an application process that will require parents to contact the schools individually. Each school will update their website with application information as needed.
Academiy for Advanced Learning & STEM Academy:
Academy Applications: The application process will be starting soon. Please click on the school you are interested in below for further details. Please grant the school sites grace and patience as this can be a taxing process.
For all Academy questions, please contact the specific schools by clicking the links below. The GATE Department does not handle academy applications and enrollment. Each school site processes applications independently. The application window has closed for the 2023-2024 school year at Theodore Judah.
STEM Academy Applications:
If you have questions about the STEM Academy specifically, please contact the school directly through the link below. Applications for Riverview STEM will be accepted through Jan. 31. Please see their website for more information.
Check back often as we update and expand upon this site.