In the fall of their fourth grade year, all students are screened for admittance to the Gifted and Talented (GATE) program. The GATE program is a state funded program for students who meet specifc criteria that qualify them as high-achieveing or exceptional. Categories for identification may include one or more of the following: intellectual, creative, specific academic, or leadership ability; high achievement; and/or performing and visual arts talent. 

PVPUSD identifies gifted and talented students at the start of fourth grade and at the start of sixth grade. With parental consent, all students are assessed using the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test (NNAT3). The NNAT3 measures verbal reasoning and comprehension, as well as nonverbal understanding of spatial and serial relationships among geometric shapes. Other measures include student grades, student classwork, standardized test scores, teacher input, and parent input. 

Parents will be notified of their child's GATE status by the end of the first trimester.  

Once qualified as GATE, students will be offered differentiated curriculum focused on depth and complexity.  They will also have access to enrichment classes throughout the year.