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Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)

Jefferson Elementary School District provides students in grades 2 through 8 the opportunity to participate in Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) identification and services. The information below explains eligibility options, testing opportunities, program design, and related resources.

Overview of the GATE Program

Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) testing for the 2025–2026 school year includes fall testing for students in grades 3 through 8 and spring testing for students in grades 2 through 7.

Ways to Qualify for GATE

There are three ways to qualify for GATE in Jefferson Elementary School District:

  1. Earn a qualifying score on the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT).
  2. Meet the district CAASPP score criteria.
  3. Qualify through the teacher recommendation / portfolio process.

Gifted and Talented Education testing is open to students in grades 2 through 8 who have not taken the OLSAT-8 in the past three years. Second grade students are only eligible to test in the spring in preparation for eligibility moving into third grade.

Jefferson Elementary School District currently uses the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test, Eighth Edition (OLSAT-8), as an assessment option for identifying GATE students. The OLSAT-8 is available two times each school year: fall and spring.

Parents and guardians are responsible for student transportation if participating in the after-school test. Digital notification through ParentSquare will be sent to families before an upcoming test registration window opens.

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Fall Testing Schedule

Fall GATE testing is available for students in grades 3 through 8. Notifications will be sent when the application window opens.

  • Jefferson: TBD — notification will be sent when the application window opens.
  • Monticello: TBD — notification will be sent when the application window opens.
  • Tom Hawkins: TBD — notification will be sent when the application window opens.
  • Anthony Traina: TBD — notification will be sent when the application window opens.
  • Corral Hollow: TBD — notification will be sent when the application window opens.
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Spring Testing Schedule

Spring GATE testing is available for students in grades 2 through 7. The application must be completed and returned to the school office by March, date to be determined.

  • Jefferson: TBD — notification will be sent when the application window opens.
  • Tom Hawkins: TBD — notification will be sent when the application window opens.
  • Anthony Traina: TBD — notification will be sent when the application window opens.
  • Corral Hollow: TBD — notification will be sent when the application window opens.

Once all applications are received, parents and guardians will be contacted and provided the testing time and the classroom to report to.

Questions?

Please contact Student Services.

Scott Andrews
Phone: 209-836-3388
Email: sandrews@jsdtracy.com

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Second Grade Testing

Second grade students are eligible for GATE testing in the spring only. The OLSAT-8 is a nationally standardized, norm-referenced, group-administered measure of verbal and non-verbal school abilities. It is a multiple-choice test that lasts approximately 60 minutes.

Areas Measured

  • Verbal Comprehension: understanding of language, including similarities and differences among words.
  • Verbal Reasoning: using language to infer, apply, and classify.
  • Pictorial Reasoning: inferring from and evaluating pictures.
  • Figural Reasoning: reasoning involving geometric shapes.
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Program Design

Students identified for GATE services are provided with educational opportunities to realize their full potential. The district philosophy and plan is to make program services an integral part of the school day, every day.

The district believes that all students must be provided a challenging curriculum aligned with state standards and frameworks that allows students to meet and exceed the state academic content standards.

The district’s program design centers around the principles of differentiated instruction to meet the intellectual, academic, social, and emotional needs of all students. Teachers strive for depth, complexity, novelty, and acceleration in daily instruction.

Teachers ensure that students are able to understand, apply, and extend beyond the standards, and they use instructional strategies needed to meet individual student needs.

Additional Resource

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GATE Plan

Coming soon.

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GATE OLSAT Testing

Coming soon.

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