Nominations for Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) Testing Are Being Accepted Now

Post date: Nov 08, 2014 12:22:2 AM

NOMINATIONS DUE DECEMBER 03, 2014

Schools in Pleasanton are preparing for the annual Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) testing period.

The purpose of GATE testing is to identify and motivate highly able students to realize their full potential. The District works with school staffs to provide high quality differentiated opportunities for learning that meet students’ particular abilities and talents and to focus on the areas of need.

Students from grade 3 to 7 in Pleasanton Unified School District (PUSD) are offered the opportunity to be tested at least once for GATE identification. Students may be tested several times, as often as every other year.

Students in grades 4 to 7 must be nominated by a teacher, parent, or other school staff to be tested

for GATE services. Parents may nominate their child by submitting a completed Parent Nomination / Questionnaire / Permission for GATE to the Special Projects Office. Parents wishing to nominate their

child are encouraged to talk with their child’s teacher about the benefits and implications of GATE testing. The Parent Nomination for GATE form can be found on the district web site http://pleasantonusd.net/ departments/educational-services/gate/. There, parents can read the instructions and download the District GATE Nomination Form. Nomination forms are also available at each school site.

Students are not eligible to be nominated if they took the CogAT test last year.

Students will be tested during the school day at their own school. A letter notifying parents/guardians of the testing dates and other information will be sent home mid January. Testing will be begin in late January and finish in late February. The test will be administered at each school on different days during this period.

Blanket CogAT testing for all third grade students in the district will be administered in February. Parents of students in third grade will receive a Permission to Test letter in early January.