Advanced Learning Options ALO    |   AVID 

GIFTED/TALENTED PROGRAMS
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  • Eligibility and Enrollment Criteria

    Students residing within the school boundaries of a designated SAS site who meet the eligibility criteria must be placed in the site's SAS gifted/talented program (unless a parent has opted out). All qualified students residing within school boundaries must be accommodated before any applicants from outside school boundaries are enrolled. No formal application is required for a qualified student residing within school boundaries since SAS is the school site's GATE instructional program for its students.

    All L.A. Unified students in grades Pre K-11 who reside outside school boundaries and who meet one of three eligibility criteria are eligible to apply for SAS participation for the following year. For SAS applicants, the teacher and principal of a student's current school of attendance are responsible for determining if the student meets at least one of the three eligibility criteria.

     

    FOR AN APPLICANT TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR SCHOOLS FOR ADVANCED STUDIES, THE STUDENT MUST BE VERIFIED AS MEETING ONE OF THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:

    1. Student is identified as gifted by an L.A. Unified designated GATE psychologist in the Intellectual Ability, High Achievement Ability, Specific Academic Ability, Creative Ability or Leadership Ability Category. OR

    2. Student received total national percentile scores of 85 or above on a District-approved standardized achievement test in 2020, if applicable. Note: Due to the elimination of the 2019-2020 Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC), this criterion has been modified for this year only. OR

    3. Student demonstrates the ability to meet ALL FOUR of the critical thinking and problem-solving skills (in primary language): 

    1. Explain meanings or relationships among facts, information, or concepts that demonstrate depth and complexity. 

    2. Formulate new ideas or solutions and elaborate on the information. 

    3. Use alternative methods in approaching new or unfamiliar mathematical problems. 

    4. Use extensive vocabulary easily and accurately to express creative ideas.

    The school of attendance will determine if your child demonstrates all four skills for this criterion (i.e., four critical thinking and problem-solving skills). Applicants verified through the four the critical thinking and problem-solving skills criterion must also demonstrate the ability or strong potential to work two years above grade level in academic subjects.  NOTE: Kindergarten SAS applicants must also be verified using the SAS kindergarten-specific criteria on the Verification of Eligibility (SAS Kindergarten) form. The recommendation submitted by the current school of attendance is final.

     

    To ensure equity and access, each of the three SAS eligibility criteria carries equal weight in the selection process. Therefore, priority placement cannot be given to students identified as gifted/highly gifted or those who meet test score criteria. For inquiries related to gifted identification or SAS eligibility, contact Gifted/Talented Programs at (213) 241-6500 or GATE@lausd.net.