GATE stands for Gifted and Talented Education. Gifted Education refers to the special practices, procedures and theories used in the education of children who have been identified as gifted or talented. The National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) defines gifted as "individuals who demonstrate outstanding aptitude (an exceptional ability to learn or reason) or competence (documented performance or achievement in the top 10% of the population) in one or more domains." 

To dig deeper into their grade level curriculum, GATE students work on projects that last for extended periods of time, have multiple components, and require interacting with other students in order to complete them.

In GATE, we utilize three types of thinking skills - critical thinking, creative thinking, and learning skills. To develop these complex skills, we use the following learning intentions. Our projects and activities focus on the highlighted statements because they encompass the other standards.

CRITICAL THINKING

• • • • • • • I am learning how to ask questions and identify problems. (CR.1)

            • I am learning how to generate multiple alternative solutions. (CR.2)

            • I am learning how to select the best alternative to solve a problem. (CR.3)

CREATIVE THINKING

• • • • • • • I am learning how to generate many ideas. (CRE.1)

            • I am learning how to show flexibility in my thinking. (CRE.2)

            • I am learning how to come up with an original approach to a problem. (CRE.3)

LEARNING SKILLS

• • • • • I am learning how to commit to tasks. (LS.1)

        • I am learning how to manage time effectively. (LS.2)

        • I am learning how to explain my thinking. (LS.3)

        • I am learning how to cooperate and collaborate in group work. (LS.4)

Since GATE is not a club, you can't just sign up for it. GATE is a program that gives students extra academic challenges if they need them. GATE testing is done throughout the year, August through April. The first part of the GATE test (NNAT-3) is done in groups of 1-4 students and takes about 30 minutes to complete. The second part of the GATE test (KBIT-2) is conducted individually and takes about 20 minutes. When testing is complete, test documents are sent for review. It usually takes a couple of weeks for students to get their test results.

Although anyone can refer a student to be tested for the GATE Program, testing referrals are usually made by a teacher or parent. After receiving a referral, the GATE Specialist reviews the student's cumulative records and current classroom data to determine the appropriateness of the referral. A CCSD student can only be tested twice for GATE, with the second test occurring at least 6 months after the initial test. ​

Since GATE services start in 3rd grade, it is important to identify second grade students who will be in the GATE program at the start of the new school year. At Title 1 schools, all second grade students participate in online GATE screening in January & February. Second grade students who score in the 98th or 99th percentile on the NNAT-3 online screener qualify for GATE services (which begin in third grade). Second grade students who score at or above the 80th percentile on the screener are considered GATE referrals and will be tested by the GATE Specialist.

​GATE and TAGS students do not retest every year.  Once a student qualifies for gifted services, they are coded in the CCSD computer system as GATE or TAGS. Gifted coding stays with a student through elementary school. In Clark County, there is no GATE program in middle school. Usually, GATE students enroll in accelerated or advanced classes. 

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​The Clark County School District uses two assessments to determine GATE eligibility: the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT-3) and the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test (KBIT-2). Depending on their scores, students qualify for GATE, TAGS, or no gifted services. Since GATE testing measures general intellectual ability and intelligence, there's no way to study for the GATE test.

• • • • • • ​​Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test - 3rd Edition:  The NNAT-3 uses abstract shapes and designs to assess a student's nonverbal reasoning and general problem solving skills. The NNAT-3 has 48 questions and takes about 30 minutes to complete. The items on this test assess ability without requiring the student to read, write, or speak. Because of its design, the NNAT-3 is fair and appropriate for students with hearing, language, motor, or color vision impairments.​

• • • • • • Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test - 2nd Edition: The KBIT-2 is an individually administered measure of intelligence that takes about 20 minutes to complete. The Clark County School District uses two components of the KBIT-2 to determine GATE eligibility: verbal knowledge (receptive vocabulary) and riddles (verbal comprehension, reasoning, and vocabulary knowledge).

GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) and TAGS (Title 1 Alternative Gifted Services) are two programs offered by the Gifted Education department of the Clark County School District. Students qualify for GATE and TAGS based on their NNAT-3 and KBIT-2 test scores.

GATE is available at all CCSD elementary schools for students in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades. A student can qualify for GATE by scoring at or above the 98th percentile on the NNAT-3 or KBIT-2 or by earning at least 15 points on a multiple criteria matrix.​​

TAGS (Title 1 Alternative Gifted Services) is a CCSD program that is only available at Title 1 elementary schools. Students who qualify for TAGS score between the 90th and 97th percentiles on the NNAT-3 or KBIT-2.

• Hoagies’ Gifted Education ... just about everything gifted

• National Association for Gifted Children ... resources and advice about gifted children

• SENG ... Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted

• Byrdseed ... creativity, accelerated learning, literature, and more

• Exquisite Minds ... lots of gifted resources and games​