GATE

Link for Opt-out Form

December 2025     

Dear Parents,

We will begin administering the Raven’s Progressive Matrices Test to all second graders in January, 2026. The Raven is a nonverbal test used to measure abstract reasoning, logical problem-solving, and general cognitive ability, and it is one of the criteria for GATE identification in Dry Creek. Below is a sample of a task like those found on the Raven Progressive Matrices test.

Students are asked to mark the box in the second row that would go where the blank box is. 
 

December 2025

Dear Parents,

We will begin administering the Raven’s Progressive Matrices Test in January to students who are
interested in being considered for the Gifted and Talented (GATE) Program in Dry Creek. The Raven is a
nonverbal test used to measure abstract reasoning, logical problem-solving, and general cognitive ability,
and it is one of the criteria for GATE identification in Dry Creek. The Raven is an option for students who
did not take the Raven previously in our district or for students who took the Raven but did not qualify for
the GATE program at that time.

For information on the full GATE identification process, click HERE.

If your child was assessed on the Raven in Dry Creek and received a passing score, but did not qualify for
the GATE program at that time, they do not need to retake the RAVEN. However, parents will still need to
submit this permission form so their child can be considered for GATE identification this year.

Please complete the online permission form at least one day prior to the scheduled testing date. 

For site-specific testing dates, click HERE. 

Students will not be allowed to take the Raven’s Progressive Matrices Test without a completed online permission form. If you have any questions, please contact Kestley Brendle at 916-770-8857.

Sincerely,
Kati O’Sullivan-Messerli
Coordinator, Educational Services

Parents and Guardians,

Welcome to the Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District GATE Program. This handbook gives you the most current research-based information related to the gifted and talented student, as well as information for frequently asked questions about our district's outstanding programs.

The district currently offers elementary GATE Clusters at each school.

The district offers middle school GATE Cluster classes in English Language Arts. We also offer GATE Clusters in Math for students who are identified as GATE but have not met the requirements for Advanced Math coursework.

We look forward to meeting your child's educational needs.

The Educational Services Department

District Vision

The Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District’s vision is to strive to build a community of learners where all students will be challenged to meet their full potential; socially, emotionally, and academically. We will provide a safe, secure environment with opportunities for growth and change. Strong educational programs will meet the diverse needs and interests of students. Imagination, creativity, and innovation along with providing teachers with the tools they need to instruct in the 21st century, drives a continuously evolving curriculum that prepares students to become lifelong learners and responsible.

Program Goal

The goal of the Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District’s GATE Program is to provide differentiated learning opportunities during the regular school day for identified students. Differentiation is an effective approach to teaching and learning. The curriculum content and/or teaching methodologies used with the core curriculum are adapted so that students may learn at their own ability levels and at their own pace. Differentiation is not a new concept, but is based on best practices in education. Strategies used may include, but are not limited to, flexible grouping, acceleration, in-depth study, complexity and novelty. Promoting academic excellence, independent thinking, student responsibility and self-confidence are key components of our program.

CHARACTERISTICS OF GIFTED CHILDREN

To provide appropriate education for gifted children, it is important to understand the characteristics of giftedness. Decades of research has provided a body of evidence regarding these characteristics that shows gifted individuals exhibit high levels of functioning in the cognitive, affective, physical and intuitive areas. Intellectual processing integrates all of these, but individuals vary in the degree to which they are exhibited; no one child will have all of these characteristics.

The cognitive area is the logical, rational thought processing characterized by:

● an extraordinary quantity of information
● an unusual capacity for processing information at an accelerated pace
● persistent, goal-directed behavior
● high levels of abstract thought
● flexibility of thought
● rapid acquisition of a new language

The affective area is the social/emotional interaction expressed by:

● unusual sensitivity to the environment
● empathy and high levels of awareness of the expectations and feelings of others
● early development of idealism and a sense of justice
● emotional intensity
● high expectations of self and others

The physical/sensory area is characterized by:

● heightened sensitivity to light, sound, touch, smell, and taste
● asynchrony, the unusual discrepancy between physical and intellectual development
● high energy, alertness, and eagerness that might be misdiagnosed as a hyperactivity
● a tendency to avoid physical activity in favor of intellectual pursuits

The intuitive area is expressed through non-linear reasoning characterized by:

● creative approaches and inventiveness in any area of endeavor
● insightfulness leading to leaps in understanding
● curiosity
● sensitivity to aesthetic qualities
● interest in the future
● ability to predict

The following descriptors will help distinguish between the child who is a bright, high achiever and a gifted child who may qualify for the GATE Program.

COMMON MYTHS ABOUT GIFTED STUDENTS

Gifted students…

● are a homogeneous group, all high achievers.
● do not need help, they can manage on their own.
● have fewer problems than others because of their intelligence and abilities.
● are naturally creative and do not need encouragement.
● are self-directed; they know where they are heading.
● are nerds and social isolates.
● Families always prize his/her abilities.
● make everyone else smarter.
● are easy to raise and a welcome addition to any classroom.
● can accomplish anything they put their minds to. All they have to do is apply themselves.
● need to serve as examples to others and they should always assume extra responsibility.
● social and emotional development is at the same level as his/her intellectual development.
● the future is assured: a world of opportunities lies before the student.

TRUTHS ABOUT GIFTED STUDENTS

Gifted students…

● are often perfectionist and idealistic.
○ They may equate achievement and grades with self-esteem and self-worth, which sometimes leads to fear of failure.

● may experience heightened sensitivity to their own expectations and those of others, resulting in guilt over achievements or grades perceived to be low.

● are asynchronous.
○ Their chronological age, social, physical, emotional, and intellectual development may all be at different levels.

● may be so far ahead of their chronological age mates that they know more than half the curriculum before the school year begins! Their boredom can result in low achievement and grades.

● are problem solvers. ○ They benefit from working on open-ended, interdisciplinary problems; for example, how to solve a shortage of community resources. ○ Gifted students often refuse to work for grades alone.

● often think abstractly and with such complexity that they may need help with concrete study and test-taking skills.
○ They may not be able to select one answer in a multiple choice question because they see how all the answers might be correct.

● who do well in school may define success as getting an “A” and failure as any grade less than an “A”. By early adolescence they may be unwilling to try anything where they are not certain of guaranteed success.

STEP 1
The Raven’s Progressive Matrices test is the first step in the process. Each school site designates a testing date.

2 nd Grade
All students will be tested, unless the parent/guardian completes the online opt-out form. We aim to assess all students with the Raven to best identify all of our students who may benefit from qualifying for GATE.

3 rd – 7 th Grade
If a parent/guardian would like their child to be considered for formal identification as a GATE student in the Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District, they must complete an online permission form at least one day before the scheduled test date. 

STEP 2
If a student scores at or above the gifted range on the test of intellectual or cognitive ability, up to three additional measures will be considered to determine a student’s ability or potential and eligibility for GATE identification. 

1. Norm-Referenced Achievement Test IXL ELA and Math Assessment (2nd-3rd Grades) and/or CAASPP Assessment (4th-8th Grades)

2. Student Characteristics Survey Gifted characteristics are determined through teacher and parent surveys.

3. Impact Factors A student’s medical history, socio-economic status and participation in the English Language Learner Program are taken into consideration.

Teachers and parents/guardians are notified of the results once the student’s GATE evaluation is scored/completed. Once identified, students will remain GATE identified unless the parent/guardian requests otherwise. Information on the timeline for this process can be found in this handbook.

The Raven’s Progressive Matrices is a non-reading test of cognitive processing skills or abstract reasoning which demonstrates how a child learns.

This assessment may be used to predict ability levels and gifted potential for all students. It has been demonstrated to be an excellent instrument for culturally diverse populations and bilingual students, as well as mainstream English speakers. As with all standardized intelligence tests, it assesses general mental ability: the capacity to think clearly and make sense of complexity, and the aptitude to store and reproduce information.

The Raven’s Progressive Matrices is usually administered in a group setting and takes approximately 45 – 60 minutes. It is a sixty item, multiple choice test in which students choose the missing segment required to complete a larger pattern. The assessment becomes progressively more difficult and complex as it proceeds, but builds upon itself so that the patterns of reasoning may be established for clues to responses. The Raven’s has been normed throughout various geographic areas of the United States using diverse ethnic groups and socio-economic levels.

Percentile scores in the Raven’s Progressive Matrices are age-based. Ability is assessed in a variety of areas including:

● alertness to visual detail
● conceptual reasoning
● concentration
● sequencing
● synthesis and analysis
● information-processing skills
● categorical thinking
● problem-solving skills
● persistence
● nonverbal concept formation
● spatial perception

The Raven’s Progressive Matrices assesses fluid intelligence and cognitive processing rather than a student’s achievement levels, ability to memorize facts, or possession of a broad vocabulary. It calls upon abstract, rather than concrete, thinking and either side of the brain can be utilized in the resolution of responses. Also, the individual determines the correct answer choice by applying his/her area of strength, be it in the formation of verbal or visual clues. The entire test is a learning process, not something you can study for. The better a child is able to learn and apply the simpler rules to the more complex problems, the better he/she will perform on the test.

Description:

IXL Level Up Diagnostic is a norm referenced assessment given to all Dry Creek Students starting in First Grade. IXL measures students’ grade level proficiency in math and English language arts, and it can pinpoint students who are significantly above grade level.

• Second and Third grade students who score above the 85th percentile on IXL ELA and/or Math on the Level Up Diagnostic assessment given during the beginning of the year testing window will be considered for GATE alongside the other qualification criteria: the Raven, Teacher and Parent Survey results, and additional Impact Factors.

The California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) assessments in ELA and Math are given to all 3rd-8th grade students in California each spring. CAASPP is designed to measure student performance in various subjects and provide insights into their progress.

• Students who score a 4 on the ELA CAASPP and/or the Math CAASPP assessments will be considered for GATE alongside the other qualification criteria: the Raven, Teacher and Parent Survey results, and additional Impact Factors.

Students who score below the 85th percentile or below a 4 on both the ELA and the Math CAASPP assessments will not be considered for GATE qualification.

DECEMBER
● Raven’s Progressive Matrices general notice for testing 2 nd -7th grades posted in school newsletters and on the District website.
● Parents/Guardians may request testing by completing the Raven’s Progressive Matrices online permission form. The permission forms are linked on our website. Permission forms must be completed and submitted at least one day prior to the test date.
● IXL Level Up Diagnostic assessments in ELA and Math are given to all Dry Creek students

JANUARY
● Raven’s Progressive Matrices testing begins for students with parent/guardian permission.

FEBRUARY
● Raven’s Progressive Matrices testing continues.
● IXL Level Up Diagnostic middle of the year assessment data will be examined for students in 2nd and 3rd grades who met the criteria benchmark on the Raven’s Progressive Matrices Test.
● CAASPP scores from the prior school year will be examined for students in 4th-7th grades who met the criteria benchmark on the Raven - CAASPP scores for the current school year may also be examined if they are reported before the end of the school year.

SPRING
● Parent and Teacher surveys completed for students who met the criteria benchmarks on the Raven Progressive Matrices and the IXL Diagnostic tests OR CAASPP.
● Completed GATE identification packets due to site liaisons.
● GATE identification packets are reviewed and scored by the District Office.
● Letters are mailed notifying parents/guardians of:

1. students that did not meet GATE criteria
2. students that met criteria for placement in the GATE program

PROGRAMMATIC QUESTIONS:

What is GATE?
GATE is an acronym for Gifted and Talented Education.

Are school districts required to provide a program for students identified as gifted and talented within the regular school day?
No, all California Education Codes and categorical funding supporting GATE were repealed. School districts are no longer required to offer programs for gifted and talented students. Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District has chosen to continue to provide appropriate learning opportunities, including differentiation, for those students who are identified as gifted and talented.

What does differentiation mean?
Differentiation is when teachers adjust their instruction to meet the needs of their individual students. Differentiated instruction may include, but is not limited to, flexible grouping, acceleration, in-depth study, complexity, and novelty. This may occur daily or periodically throughout the year. Differentiated activities are conducted as an integrated part of the regular program. Supplemental materials and technology may also be used to enhance the basic curriculum.

What might differentiated instruction look like in a classroom?
While GATE classrooms share many of the fine teaching strategies and strong learning environments that should be in every classroom, the following are characteristics specific to GATE classrooms:
● classroom discussions emphasize application, analysis and synthesis with less emphasis on answering comprehension questions about facts
● students are observed working at their own pace in specialized groups at advanced levels
● use of Icons of Depth and Complexity are found in many of the classrooms

What is a GATE Cluster?
Research from the Center on Gifted and Talented Youth at the University of Connecticut at Hartford, as well as Johns Hopkins Center for the Gifted and Talented, support the use of clusters as a way of meeting the differentiated needs of gifted students. The Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District recognizes this research and clusters identified GATE students and places them within a regular classroom with teachers who have received training on differentiated instruction.

This model allows the GATE population to have the opportunity to interact with students of all abilities, while still receiving appropriate differentiated instruction and the chance to work, when appropriate, with students of similar abilities.

How many GATE students are in a GATE Cluster?
The number of students in the GATE Cluster will vary according to the number of GATE students identified at each grade level, at each school site.

What grade do GATE Clusters begin?
Currently we have GATE Clusters in third (3rd ) grade.

What GATE opportunities are available in middle school?
6 th Grade
Students will be placed in an English Language Arts (ELA) GATE Cluster class. Students who are GATE and have met the Accelerated Math Program criteria can enroll in the Advanced Math 6 Class. Students who are GATE identified but did not meet the Accelerated Math Program criteria will be placed in a Math 6 GATE Cluster.

7 th and 8 th Grades
Students will be placed in an English Language Arts (ELA) GATE Cluster class.

Do GATE students get more work?
It is not the amount of work, but the type of work that is different in a GATE classroom. The work students receive should be commensurate with their abilities. The assignments may be more rigorous and challenging, and therefore may take more time to complete.

PARENT QUESTIONS:

How do I request that my child be tested for GATE identification?
Parents of students in grades 2 – 7 can request that their student be tested for GATE in January. Testing information is sent via school newsletters in December and is also available on the District website.

How long do these tests take?
Generally, 60 minutes for the Raven’s Progressive Matrices; 60-90 minutes for the Stanford 10 Achievement test.

What test scores are required to qualify for GATE?
The qualifying score on the Raven Progressive Matrices tests is a minimum of the 98th percentile. If a child meets or exceeds this minimum score, they are further screened using the Dry Creek multiple criteria for GATE identification.

How long does it take to get results after the test?
Because of the number of students tested and the qualifying process, it can take up to 10-12 weeks to receive the test results.

How many times may my child be tested for GATE identification?
A child may be tested for GATE identification at Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District once per year during the testing window.

When does GATE identification begin?
GATE testing at Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District begins in second grade for placement the following school year.  

Will my elementary school child need to be GATE identified every year or when entering middle school?
No, once identified, students remain GATE identified unless the parent/guardian requests otherwise.

If my child was identified in another school district, may he/she be automatically identified in Dry Creek?
A student identified in a previous school district will need to be assessed by our district, at the beginning of the school year, using our identified measures. Students who qualify will be placed in a program the subsequent school year.

What is the GATE Advisory Committee? The GATE Advisory Committee is made up of GATE liaisons and the District GATE Coordinator. The purpose of this committee is to provide a forum for feedback and recommendations to improve the GATE Program.

Who do I contact concerning the GATE Program?
Here is the order in which you should approach your questions and concerns:
1. Teacher
2. Site GATE Liaison
3. Principal
3. District GATE Coordinator

What can parents/guardians do to nurture the gifted child?
Parents/guardians share with the school the important responsibility of helping children achieve their maximum potential. Some ideas are listed below for working with your gifted child.
● Share an interest in your child’s reading. Discuss books with them. Make sure that your child has a library card and uses it often.
● Encourage originality by helping, not completing, projects and hobbies with your child. The project or hobby should belong to your child.
● Make sure that you have a place for your child to work and to display finished projects.
● Stimulate creative thinking and problem solving by encouraging your child to try out solutions without fear of making mistakes. Help your child to value thinking, learn from mistakes and then try again. Help them find more than one solution to a problem.
● Help your child to get along with children of all levels of ability. Your child is going to be part of many teams in their life learning to get along with and appreciate others is a critical part of a successful life.
● Set reasonable standards of behavior and see that they are followed.
● Love your child for who they are, not for any intellectual accomplishment. Avoid comparison with brothers, sisters, or companions.
● Support them with organization and time management strategies.

Hoagies’ Gifted Education Page
http://www.hoagiesgifted.org/

California Association for the Gifted
http://www.cagifted.org/

California Department of Education
http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/gt/

National Association for Gifted Children
http://www.nagc.org/

American Association for Gifted Children
http://www.aagc.org/

Academic Talent Search – Sacramento State
http://edweb.csus.edu/projects/ats/

Center for Talented Youth – Johns Hopkins University
http://cty.jhu.edu/

Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted
http://www.sengifted.org/

The Association for the Gifted – The Council for Exceptional Children
http://cectag.com/

DISTRICT

Kati O’Sullivan Messerli, Coordinator of Educational Services
GATE Coordinator
(916) 770-8886

Kestley Brendle, Secretary - Educational Services
(916) 770-8857

SCHOOL SITES

Antelope Crossing Middle School
(916) 745-2100

Antelope Meadows Elementary School
(916) 770-8816

Barrett Ranch Elementary School
(916) 770-8839

Coyote Ridge Elementary School
(916) 774-8282

Creekview Ranch School
(916) 770-8845

Heritage Oak Elementary School
(916) 773-3960

Olive Grove Elementary School
(916) 727-7400

Quail Glen Elementary School
(916) 789-7100

Silverado Middle School
(916) 780-2620