GATE

GIFTED AND TALENTED EDUCATION

The Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) program is designed to address the learning styles of students who have been identified as gifted and talented. The program caters to individual students’ intellectual needs, motivates them to reach their highest potential, and pushes them to apply their critical thinking skills. Differentiation of course content is achieved through research-based strategies, including depth and complexity, compacting, and novelty, by their classroom teacher who has received 15 hours or more of professional development in strategies for identified gifted students. In fourth and fifth grades, the students also receive additional support from a differentiation instructor.

All students at Fairburn are screened for giftedness in the category of High Achievement in second grade with the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT). Eligibility is determined by the student’s ability to obtain a score of 95% or above in any one of the three categories of the test.

In addition, classroom teachers may refer students for consideration by the GATE Committee for intellectual testing with an LAUSD psychologist. This generally begins in second or third grade and MUST be approved by the GATE Committee before being forwarded to the LAUSD Psychological Services Division.

Ms. ​Trish Kiernan is the Fairburn GATE coordinator.

For more information, visit the district's GATE identification information page HERE.