Frequently Asked Questions
How can I prepare my child for the GATE assessment?
The assessment is intended to be taken without any preparation. We encourage you help lower your child's anxiety by encouraging them to do their best without placing pressure on their performance.
Who can test for GATE?
The Oxnard School District administers a GATE screening test to all the second grade students unless parent/guardian chooses to opt out of testing. Parents/guardians will receive a notification closer to the testing window. Any student in grades three to eight will need to be referred by a teacher or a parent/guardian.
What assessment does the Oxnard School District use in the GATE identification process?
The second graders are tested using Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices. Third through eighth graders are tested using Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices. The Raven's assessment is a non-verbal multiple choice test where the test taker is given a geometric design with a missing piece. The test taker must determine which of the given choices best completes the missing piece of the design. The assessment is administered to the student in-person.
When will I be receiving my child's results?
Parents/guardians of referred students will be receiving a GATE notification letter with the child’s results at the end of the GATE identification process (see GATE flyer for date). Notifications will be mailed to the home address found in our system. If there has been a change of address, we urge you to contact your child's school.
How will my child's results be reported?
For the students that are tested, test scores are reported as a percentile score. A percentile score is based on the number of correct responses on the Raven's assessment and the student's age at the time of testing. The percentile score represents the percent of the norm group of students tested who scored lower than the student.
What score does a child need to qualify as Gifted?
A student that scores at the 98th percentile or above will qualify for GATE.
Can kindergarten and first graders be referred to the GATE identification process?
Oxnard School District's general GATE identification process begins in the second grade. All students in second grade are assessed, unless parent chooses to opt their child out of testing. Parents/guardians, teachers, and/or administrators can refer students in grades 3-8 to the GATE identification process.
What can I do if my child did not qualify for Gifted Services?
Multiple measures are taken into consideration when determining if a child is Gifted. The Raven's test is only one measure of identifying Gifted students. We suggest that you monitor your child's progress on the CAASPP assessments in the spring. Students can be referred to the GATE identification process the following academic year.
If my child was already identified as Gifted with the Oxnard School District, does s/he need to go through the GATE referral process in the future?
Once a child qualifies for Gifted Services, s/he does not need to re-test. Students will continue to receive Gifted services every year after being identified as long as s/he is enrolled with the Oxnard School District.
Can my child be tested for Gifted Services more than once during the academic year?
GATE testing takes place only once a year. Please see flyer for testing dates.
My child was identified as Gifted at another school district, will my child continue to receive Gifted services at the Oxnard School District?
Transfer students who have been previously identified in another district are designated as Gifted if the student meets OSDs Gifted identification criteria. Parent/guardian and/or site staff must submit verification paperwork from the previous district to the District Testing Coordinator, Connie Mendez in Educational Services.