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Gifted and Talented Education
Testing

Arizona school districts are required to use tests approved by the State Board for testing and identifying gifted children. The list of approved tests does not include achievement tests. State approved tests are typically cognitive ability tests. 

Current Tests
The tests currently used by the GATE department include:

• Cognitive Abilities Test, grades 1 through 8
• Raven Test of Progressive Matrices (non-verbal), all grades
• Otis-Lennon, kindergarten

The GATE office also uses the SPARK Team (Screening Procedure and Assessment for the Recruitment of Kindergartners) for both recruitment and identification purposes. The assessment is a non-verbal assessment designed to identify gifted children from under-represented populations in kindergarten.

Test Accommodations
Test accommodations will be made for students with disabilities. Parents or staff should contact the GATE office prior to testing so accommodations can be arranged.

Permission to Evaluate Forms
GATE testing is held in all district elementary and middle schools during the month of January each year. Students must have a Permission to Evaluate form signed by their parent or guardian on file with the GATE office prior to testing. 

Permission to Evaluate forms are available in the office at all district elementary and middle schools. Forms are also available at the central GATE office and on the TUSD website at the Permission to Evaluate Form web page. Please submit your completed referral forms to your neighborhood TUSD elementary/middle school or mail them to GATE Department, PO Box 40400, Tucson, AZ 85717.

Make-up Tests
Students who miss the January testing in their school may take the make-up test. A district-wide make-up test is held at a central location on a Saturday in late January or early February each year. Students who are not fluent in English will be given a non-verbal assessment. Test results and eligibility status letters are mailed to parents by April 1^st each spring.

Group and Independent Evaluations
Students who participate in the group administered testing in January will be considered for placement for the following year. Testing offered by the district is free of charge to parents and guardians. Parents who seek independent evaluations are responsible for the cost of the evaluation.

Private and Charter School Students
Students attending private schools may participate in GATE testing if they reside within TUSD boundaries. Private school students must have a signed Permission to Evaluate form on file in the GATE office prior to testing. Private school students will test at their neighborhood TUSD school.

Charter schools are responsible to provide gifted education testing for their students. TUSD does not conduct GATE testing for Charter school students.

Reporting to Parents
All test results and materials are compiled and reviewed by the GATE office Placement Team. Test results and status letters are mailed home to parents by April 1^st each spring. Parents of students identified for placement in the self-contained program are invited to attend an Open House meeting at their neighborhood self-contained GATE school.