GATE Identification
GATE Testing Process
- Testing will be conducted during the current school year for all 3rd grade students and for 4th and 5th grade students who were newly enrolled in PVSD after the previous year's test administration window concluded. The Cognitive Abilities Assessment Test (CogAT) is used as the testing metric.
- Testing will take place one time during the school year, in the spring.
- For additional information regarding testing for third graders, please refer to this letter, 3rd Grade GATE Testing.
- For additional information regarding testing for newly enrolled 4th and 5th graders refer to this letter, 4th and 5th Grade GATE Testing.
- Some students who are identified as English Learners or who are in specialized programs will take the Naglieri assessment instead of the CogAT. For additional information refer to this letter, Naglieri testing.
How are PVSD Students Identified?
GATE identification is not based on the testing alone. In addition to the CogAT or Naglieri, additional data will be used such as the Renzulli-Hartman Scale of behavioral and motivational characteristics, academic achievement records, student work samples, other standardized testing scores, and information provided by the student's teacher to identify students in the following three areas.
- Intellectual Ability: Students whose general intellectual development is markedly advanced in relation to their chronological peers.
- High Achievement Ability: Students who consistently function for two consecutive years at highly advanced levels in both English-Language Arts and mathematics.
- Specific Academic Ability: Students who consistently function for two consecutive years at highly advanced levels in either English-Language Arts or mathematics.