PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) program provides differentiated learning opportunities that meet the gifted and talented students' particular talents, abilities, and needs. In the elementary schools, GATE students are clustered together in the regular classroom and provided with appropriately differentiated instruction of the core curriculum.

Enrichment activities supplement the curriculum and encourage creative thinking and multi-modalities.

Click here for more GATE information

Test Administration Information

What test is used?

• We use The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT), which is a multiple choice test published by Riverside Publishing. 

• It is used to measure cognitive development among children. 

• The CogAT-7 is often used to identify gifted children for admission into gifted and talented programs across the United States. 

• It was first published in 1968. The most current version of the CogAT, the CogAT Form 7, was published in 2011. 

Who gets tested?

• There is universal screening of 3rd graders, meaning all 3rd graders will be tested unless a parent opts out of testing. 

• The District’s Search and Serve Process screens for potential GATE students in grades 4- 12. This is done via outreach to parents, community, teachers, administrators, and support personnel.

When and where does testing take place?

• Testing occurs each year in January. Students are tested at their school sites, usually in their regular classroom. Teachers and school site GATE Coordinators should be able to provide more detailed information about exact test dates/locations closer to the testing window. 

• We also offer Summer GATE Testing to students newly enrolling in the district. A flyer will be posted each spring about testing dates. 

GATE Advisory Council 

The GATE Advisory Council is a group composed of all stakeholders interested in BUSD's GATE program. Its function is to disseminate information, ideas, etc. to and from the school sites. Topics discussed range from site feedback to parent education. 

The Council meets monthly, usually on the second Monday of the month. The list of this year's meeting dates can be found on the flyer below. 

Translation in Spanish and Armenian is provided. 

Meetings take place on Zoom at 6:30 pm. 

GATE Advisory Council Zoom Link

Meeting ID: 818 6497 0239

GATE COORDINATORS

BUSD District GATE Coordinator:
Terry Williamson     terrywilliams@burbankusd.org

Providencia Elementary GATE Coordinator:
Talar Topalian, Curriculum Specialist     talartopalian@burbankusd.org