I just learned that my 8-year-old did not qualify for our public school district's GATE program going into 4th grade. The ONLY criteria they base it on is the Naglieri, which worried me a bit b/c it's such narrow criteria. I got her Naglieri test scores and she missed the district's cut off by one point. I subsequently requested admission to the GATE program by providing the district with multiple supporting documentation including her professionally administered IQ test (in between HG-EG) and achievement testing (demonstrating she's a minimum of 2 grade levels ahead in all academic subjects), and her admittance letter to the highly gifted private school in our area (which we declined entrance to for a multitude of reasons). They are still denying her, saying it's only based on the Naglieri, and that the teachers are trained in differentiation and will meet her needs, and that she can retest this coming spring with either the Naglieri or the OLSAT. Technically, she's accelerated one grade b/c she got caught in the first year of the TK transition in CA, and missed the cut off by 10 days. She attended TK but I spent that entire year advocating for her to move from TK - 1st grade the following year, which they allowed after reviewing the above-mentioned test scores, and evaluating her in the classroom- and for which I am grateful. But she still easily masters the curriculum, is always hungry for more, and exhibits all of the classic traits of gifted children. Anyone else been through this? It's so frustrating that this is the only criteria they use.
