Qualifying for CUSD GATE Program
CUSD GATE 2024-25 IDENTIFICATION
CUSD GATE 2024-25 IDENTIFICATION
CUSD GATE 2024-25 IDENTIFICATION
The Capistrano Unified School District does not accept outside private assessment results. Our identification process is systematic to allow for equitable access and standardization of identification. Also, only students currently enrolled in a CUSD school are eligible for testing.
CUSD is committed to:
- Providing access to all third-grade students and utilizing multiple measures during initial universal screening
- Providing access/identification at multiple grade levels
- Utilizing multiple measures
- Considering language and cultural differences
Third Grade Students
Universal Screening Ability Measure:
- What? - Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Assessment (NNAT) - The NNAT is a nonverbal, culture-free general cognitive abilities test which aligns to the Intellectual Domain of Giftedness (NAGC).
- When? NNAT testing will take place in classrooms in late February through early March. School sites will have a two week window to determine the date and will send out notification to families.
- Identification Criteria - Students scoring in the 96 percentile or higher on the NNAT will be identified as GATE
- Notification- Families of students who meet the GATE identification requirements for the NNAT will be notified via mail approximately May 30, 2025. Also, all families will receive their child's NNAT results in the CUSD Parent Portal under test scores. The NNAT percentile score will be listed.
Fourth & Fifth Grade Students
Fourth and Fifth-grade students will be given the opportunity to take/retake the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT) during the third-grade NNAT testing window in late February through early March if the student is/has:
- New to CUSD
- Previous NNAT score of 92-95 percentile
- Previous Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA) English Language Arts (ELA) scaled score is within the top 10 percent of the exceeded category, with adjustments made for English Learners. SBA testing takes place in all 3rd-5th grade classrooms on various dates April-June.
GATE Portfolio Measures:
Students in grades 3, 4, and 5, who score between the 92nd and 95th percentile on the NNAT assessment, are eligible for a multiple measures GATE Portfolio.
The Portfolio consists of three measures:
- Ability measure - 92-95% NNAT score
- Characteristics measure - 48-60 points from combined teacher/parent inventory scores
- Academic achievement measure - Previous Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA) English Language Arts (ELA) scaled score is within the top 10 percent of the exceeded category, with adjustments made for English Learners. SBA testing takes place in all 3rd-5th grade classrooms on various dates April-June. SBA ELA scaled score cut points are as follows:
- 3rd grade - SBA ELA
- Students who are fluent in English scale score: 2609
- Students identified as English Learners scale score: 2490
- 4th grade - SBA ELA
- Students who are fluent in English scale score: 2650
- Students identified as English Learners scale score: 2533
- 5th grade - SBA ELA
- Students who are fluent in English scale score: 2689
- Students identified as English Learners scale score: 2582
Parents and schools will be notified of student GATE qualification via Portfolio by August 15, 2025.
All students meeting the academic achievement measure criteria will be eligible to retake the NNAT in 2026.
