Gifted & Talented Education

The GATE Program in OVSD is #EPIC!
Embolden Passions that Inspire Change
Epic: elevated; great historical importance; vast in scope; covering great nations, the world or the universe; actions important to the history of a nation or people.

Mission & Values

Mission
We hold high expectations for all students through rigorous and relevant educational experiences that support and guide them to become responsible, ethical, productive, and involved citizens.

Philosophy
Every student has the right to be appropriately challenged and we strive to engage in the development and activation of each student's potential.

Values
We Believe:

In strong, foundational learning and core academics;
In safe, nurturing, and growth-minded environments;
In empowering students to be thinkers and change agents;
In the power of curiosity;
In the genius of each child;
In developing grit, empathy, and integrity;
In inspiring passion;
In innovation and risk taking;
In positively impacting our community.

Cluster and Magnet Programs

Since the mid-1960's Ocean View School District has offered a program for identified gifted and talented students. Today OVSD designates Circle View and Star View Elementary Schools for grades 3 - 5, and Mesa View and Vista View Middle Schools for grades 6 - 8, as the magnet schools where GATE students are homogeneously grouped together for all of their academic instruction. This research-based magnet setting provides a six-year curriculum continuum in which learning experiences:

are enriched and accelerated
promote the development of higher level and divergent thinking skills
encourage creative expression
develop leadership skills
foster healthy self-esteem
initiate career exploration

GATE Cluster Program At The Home School

Another option for GATE students is to remain at the neighborhood home school and participate in a GATE Cluster Program for Elementary students or a GATE/Honors Program for Middle School students. In this option, the classroom teacher differentiates the curriculum for the gifted students grouped together within a heterogeneous classroom setting at each grade level.

For information about the GATE Cluster Program, please contact the principal at your child's home school.

GATE Magnet Program

The GATE Magnet Program provides an all-day setting, which offers flexibility in scheduling and a wide range of educational opportunities. It provides students with a longer period of time for enriched and accelerated learning experiences that stress the use of higher level thinking skills, divergent thinking, and the students' preferred style of learning. Students receive instruction based on their academic strengths.

The middle school curriculum for all GATE Magnet students includes reading/literature, language arts, history/social science, mathematics, science, physical education, and exploratory classes. Students in GATE at Mesa View participate in an accelerated mathematics program, which includes pre-Algebra in grade 6, Algebra I in grade 7 and Geometry in grade 8. GATE students are grouped together for differentiated instruction with trained and experienced program teachers for the four academic classes. Students in GATE are grouped with the entire student body for physical education and exploratory classes.

For more information about the GATE Magnet Program, please contact:

Timeline and Identification

Students in Ocean View School District are tested for GATE in the second grade in the month of January each year. Students who are new to the District in grades 3 through 7 are also given an opportunity to be tested in January. Students are given a standardized, norm referenced abilities test, which measures the cognitive abilities that relate to a student's ability to learn. Parent Permission is required for testing. Forms are sent home during Fall Parent Conference week for second graders or may be requested from teachers during Fall conference. Please check with your school site for the exact dates of testing.

Students must have a Age Percentile Rank (APR) of at least 89% to be considered for GATE placement. Students with this ranking are then referred to a School Placement Committee for further review and assessment. This review also includes the student's achievement scores on Smarter Balanced Assessments for students in grade 4 and above. A standard exceeded performance level in both English Language Arts and Mathematics is needed to qualify.

Parents are notified in the spring if their child has qualified for GATE placement for the following school year. Current OVSD families will receive a GATE Notification in their AERIES Parent Portal. GATE Students who transfer from another school district are placed in GATE on a trial basis for up to one year. At the end of the trial period, the student will be assessed using the measures listed above and further placement will be determined by a school site committee.

GATE Parent Information nights are held in the Spring in order to assist students and parents in making an informed decision about GATE Program placement. Please check with your child's home school for more information about GATE Cluster/Honors Programs.

Parent Resources

Printed Resources
Helpful Hints for Parents of Gifted Students
Bring Child - Gifted Learner
Depth & Complexity Parent Presentation
Depth & Complexity Prompts
Scholarly Traits

Web Resources
Byrdseed GATE Parent Resources
Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted
Orange County Council for Gifted Education
National Association for Gifted Children
UCI Gifted Students Network
John Hopkins Center for Talented Youth
California Association for the Gifted

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I have my child tested for GATE?

All second grade students and any students who are new to Ocean View School District are given the opportunity to be tested each year. The test will only be administered with parent permission; written consent must be on file at the school in order for students to be assessed.

Students may be re-tested by parent request. Please speak with your teacher and request re-testing during Fall parent conferences. GATE Testing occurs during January at students' home school. Testing times and exact dates are scheduled by the school site. Please contact your school office for information regarding testing dates and times.

What if my child attends a private school?

If you live within Ocean View School District boundaries, you may contact our office to have your child assessed during the designated testing period at their home school site. You will need to complete the Testing Permission Form, the Student Information Form, and submit two proofs of address to our office prior to testing. Your home school site will set the testing schedule and will contact you regarding exact date and time for testing.

What score is required for GATE?

If my child did not score high enough on the GATE assessment, should I have my child take the test again next year?

This is a personal decision. Students may be re-tested by parent request.

If the student scored between the 89th and 95th percentile and did not qualify due to achievement levels on State Testing and the parent wants to retest to see if the student will score at the 96th percentile or higher for Intellectual Placement, they should consider that their child could score LOWER the next time. When considering a student for GATE identification, we use the most current assessment results.

How often can my child take the GATE assessment?

What other measures are used to qualify a student for GATE?

The OVSD criteria for GATE includes the GATE assessment score (89%ile and above) and standard exceeded achievement levels on both Smarter Balanced Assessment English Language Arts and Mathematics. For students in second and third grades, only Age Percentile Rank on a norm referenced test is considered for qualification (89%ile and above). For Specific Ability qualification (grades 6-8), criteria includes GATE assessment score (89%ile and above) and standard exceeded achievement levels on either Smarter Balanced Assessment English Language Arts or Mathematics for two consecutive years.

Is there a trial or probationary acceptance into the GATE program?

Trial placements are made only for students who qualify for GATE (or other gifted program) in another school district. We only accept testing measures from previous school districts, not outside sources.

Students who have previously been identified GATE in another district will be assessed at the end of their first year, using OVSD GATE criteria. A school site committee will make a recommendation about permanent GATE placement.

My child was identified as GATE in another school district. What do I need to do for them to enter the GATE Program in OVSD?

Please contact the OVSD GATE Office at 714-847-2551 x 1351. You will need to provide proof that your child was identified GATE. If you do not have this information, you should be able to get it from your previous district or our office will request the paperwork from your previous district.

Once we have confirmed that your child was GATE identified, you will receive paperwork to sign and return for your child to enter our Magnet Program or the GATE Cluster/Honors Program at your home school on a "Trial" basis (up to one year) until we can confirm that it is an appropriate placement for your child. Trial GATE students will be assessed at the end of the probationary period for permanent GATE placement using OVSD GATE criteria and school site committee recommendation.

My child did not qualify for GATE, but did score above the 89th percentile. What should I do now?

GATE identification is made based on the review of multiple assessment measures for students in grades 4 and above. The GATE Office does re-evaluate students who have scored above the 89th age percentile rank, but have not qualified due to achievement level performance on Smarter Balanced Assessments. Please note if you decide to re-test your child, we do use most current performance on a standardized norm-reference ability assessment. If the score is lower than the previous time, the lower score will be used.

If my child's assessment scores have improved and the GATE assessment results are above the 89th percentile, do I have to notify anyone? Or will the OVSD automatically re-evaluate my child for placement in the GATE program?

My child did not qualify to enter the program in 3rd grade but is now qualified in 4th grade (or above). Should I enter my child into the program now even though other GATE students have been learning at a different pace?

Does my student have to enter the Magnet program to participate in GATE?

My child scored at the 89th percentile on the GATE assessment and has the other scores to qualify, but will he/she be able to keep up with the students that scored higher? Should I just keep my child in regular education?

GATE program participation is a personal decision. Unless a parent has grave concerns about his/her child's ability to keep up in the GATE program, it is recommended that the students give it a try. While there may be a period of adjustment, most students thrive. If later a parent/student decides that participation in a GATE program is not appropriate for the the student, the parent may request in writing for his/her child not to participate.

GATE Information Nights are hosted in March of each year for parents and students to learn more about the GATE Magnet programs. You may contact your home school site for information about GATE Cluster/Honors programs.