When students qualify for the GATE program in SVUSD, they are placed into a classroom with a GATE-certified teacher and a cluster of GATE-identified peers. Clusters come in various sizes, and some of our SVUSD schools have historically larger clusters (10+) of GATE-identified students in their classrooms. These schools are:

(updated 2/6/24)

In Saddleback Valley Unified School District, we conduct a universal screening of all third grade students each year for potential GATE identification. This provides all students with the opportunity to demonstrate their potential for thinking creatively and at high levels. Parents/Guardians have the option of opting their child out of the GATE screening process if they so choose. The chart below depicts our screening process for SVUSD's 3rd graders.

SVUSD's GATE program begins in 3rd grade and, each year, some 2nd grade students qualify to participate in the program the following year. Students who do not qualify for the GATE program in a previous grade level may have the opportunity to qualify as a 4th grader. With parent permission, SVUSD screens any incoming 4th grader who is new to the district and was not previously screened as a 3rd grader.

2nd & 4th Grade

Recommendation based upon multiple classroom measures

(and any 4th graders new to the district)

Qualifying Cognitive Ability score

> 95th Percentile 

or

> 93rd Percentile

with Multiple Measures

SVUSD does not accept the results of private testing for GATE identification. Private psychological testing will not be accepted for any reason.