Gifted and Talented

The CogAT assessment is given to all third grade students as one way to determine eligibility for gifted programming. While this test can be used to identify gifted and talented students, more importantly, it is also used to identify strengths of all students that are not always revealed with achievement tests.

Gifted Clusters

Gifted clusters can be found in every elementary school in the district in grades 4 and 5. Cluster grouping is the practice of placing intellectually gifted students together in the same classroom with a teacher who has received additional training in working with gifted students. Cluster classrooms have the same number of students as all other classes and include not only gifted students, but also students with a broad range of abilities. The idea of clustering is to allow high achieving students to learn with peers of all abilities, while also being able to group together for more challenging lessons. Cluster students do not necessarily use a different curriculum than the rest of the class. They are given more opportunities to go more in-depth with the curriculum.

Though testing for gifted programming doesn't happen until third grade, our high achieving students in grades K-3 also receive differentiated lessons from teachers as they see a need for more rigorous work in the classroom.

GATE (Gifted & Talented Education) Program

The GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) Program serves a small, very unique group of highly gifted learners in fourth and fifth grade. GATE classrooms are located in Stillwater Middle School but serve students from across the district through alternate enrollment. GATE support continues in grades 6-8 in core content areas.

GATE provides students with a challenging instructional program which meets and exceeds the district’s academic standards. Differentiation in the depth, breadth, and pace of instruction with an emphasis on higher level thinking skills is utilized to meet the needs of advanced learners.  
 

Stillwater Area Public Schools has adopted research-based best-practice assessments to determine which students need specialized instructional services and programs to meet their full potential. Assessment procedures are specific to the student’s age and grade level and may include but not be limited to:

• Cognitive (general intellectual) Ability tests

• Achievement tests

• Teacher recommendation/input

• GATE Entrance Criteria

• Cluster Criteria

Classroom performance, all assessment information, and additional data is reviewed by a building/district identification team to determine whether or not the student is in need of specialized services and/or programs.

Testing accommodations will be considered only for students on an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 Plan. 

Families of non-enrolled students who are interested in the GATE program need to submit reports of both ability and achievement tests. Stillwater Area Public Schools require scores from published, standardized tests administered by a qualified individual or educational institution. 

Required Assessment Data:

1. Ability Test Scores - Examples of acceptable ability tests include: Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT), Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-V), Stanford-Binet V.  
    
2. Achievement Test Scores - Examples of acceptable achievement tests include: NWEA Measure of Academic Progress (MAP), FastBridge, Iowa Test of Basic Skills, or any other nationally normed achievement test reporting mathematics and reading percentiles within the last 18 months.

Students currently enrolled in Stillwater Area Public Schools receive placement priority. Qualifying non-enrolled students will be invited to enroll for the following year in the GATE program after February 1st as space allows. Please email documentation to Amy Fischer, Gifted and Talented Coordinator, at fischera@stillwaterschools.org