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Chino Valley Unified School District

Student Achievement - Safe Schools - Positive School Climate

GATE Information

Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)

The Chino Valley Unified School District offers instructional programs for students who qualify for gifted and talented education (GATE). All students in grade two are screened for GATE eligibility unless parents/guardians decline screening. Students in grades three through eight may be considered by an educator or parent for possible GATE eligibility.  A school staff member then screens the student(s).

 GATE programs are provided for students meeting a specific set of criteria which qualify them to participate in qualitatively different curricular experiences designed to recognize and nurture the special gifts and talents of individual students using depth, complexity, novelty, and/or accelerating the core curriculum.  Elementary program options include participation in cluster classes, or part-time groupings in the regular classroom.  At the secondary level, GATE identified students may participate in honors classes, advanced placement classes, acceleration, leadership experiences, and/or opportunities to attend classes on a college campus.

Enrichment. In addition to the differentiated daily curriculum, GATE programs may be augmented by part-time pull-outs, before and after school opportunities, or Saturday enrichment activities.  Enrichment opportunities may develop in the form of an after school academic competition team at the elementary or junior high school levels. These activities should be related to the core curriculum and provide opportunities for GATE students to work together on advanced learning activities.

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Questions and Answers

  • Chino Valley USD administers the NNAT3 assessment (Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test - Third Edition)

    • Purpose: Measures nonverbal reasoning, problem-solving, and general thinking ability—not school knowledge.
    • Format: 48 multiple-choice visual questions completed in 30 minutes.
    • No language required: Uses shapes, patterns, and geometric designs rather than reading or writing.
    • Main question types: Pattern completion, analogical reasoning, and serial reasoning.
    • Goal: Assess how students recognize relationships and solve unfamiliar visual problems, with reduced language and cultural barriers.

    For second-grade students, each school has the flexibility to implement the GATE program after a student completes the qualification process. However, most schools typically begin formal GATE services in third grade.

    At the start of each school year, your child’s school will also host an informational GATE meeting to provide an overview of the program and answer any questions you may have.

    Program Description

    The GATE program provides an integration of literature, fine arts, math, social studies, and science in GATE-cluster classrooms. Classroom curriculum integrates depth and complexity of principles, theories, and generalizations into the core curriculum. Projects and presentations emphasize the use of primary resources. An emphasis on higher-level thinking allows students to transfer their learning to new situations and to generate new information and products. While core skills and problem solving are reinforced, multiple opportunities are offered to promote a higher level of critical thinking.

    Placement - GATE Cluster Classes

    GATE students are grouped in a regular grade-level classroom as a "cluster" with the remainder of the class being non-GATE identified students. The GATE cluster class will have the traditional number of students for that grade level. These classes may exist from third through sixth grade, and the size of the "cluster" will vary among grade levels. 

    Please contact your school's GATE Coordinator/Assistant Principal to discuss the program options currently being offered. 

    District-wide GATE Programs 

    GATE students may participate in district-wide programs, including Odyssey of the Mind teams and competitions.