SPECIAL EDUCATION | GATE

Special Education
Special Education program provide specific help to students in small group settings in the classroom and in the Resource room. The classroom teacher or parent may make referral to the Student Success Team if they suspect that the student has a problem that keeps him/ her from learning to his/her optimum ability. The Student Success Team (SST) is comprised of staff members, parents and an administrator. The purpose of the SST is to review a referred student’s progress, gather pertinent information concerning the student’s history and develop appropriate recommendations. The Student Study Team (SST) may recommend accommodations and/or modifications of the child’s classroom program or referral to the Individual Education Plan Team (IEPT) for assessment.

The IEPT evaluates and identifies student who are eligible to receive Special Education services. Student with specific learning disabilities are offered remedial services through state special education funding. These programs are referred within the Resource Program. Services may be offered in the child’s regular classroom or in a pullout program. State guidelines limit students’ eligibility for Special Education services. Those Students who qualify are provided support services beyond those of the regular general education student. Qualified students may receive services from the following:

Resource Specialist
The Resource Specialist is available to assist students with exceptional learning needs. She observes students, diagnoses difficulties and coordinates referral for special student assistance. She also assists the classroom teacher in modifying classroom curriculum to meet the needs of some students. The Resource Specialists will work with qualifying students on a one-on-one basis when such instruction seems advisable.

Speech and Language Specialist
Speech and language therapy is provided to children who have difficulty with language comprehension or verbal communication. Children are referred to the speech therapist for misarticulating of sounds, stuttering, hearing difficulties, physical anomalies (such a cleft palate), inadequate voice production and language disabilities. Following an evaluation and permission from parents, students are enrolled in small group therapy. Our full-time speech therapist is available for consultation with any parent during the school year. The Speech Program is available for children kindergarten age appropriate through 5th grade.

Guidance/ Psychologist
The school Psychologist works with students, teachers, parents and non-school agencies. The psychologist assists the teachers in pupil evaluation, diagnosis of student needs, and referrals to appropriate programs. Individual counseling and psychological testing are provided to students in need of such services. The Discovery Counseling Center of San Ramon Valley offers group counseling services to elementary schools. These sessions are conducted by School Counseling Intervention program (SCIP) interns or trainees under the supervision of licensed mental health professionals and are protected by the right to confidentiality. Sensitive issues may arise on occasion in which the teacher may refer student to our Discovery Intern. Specific parental consent will be obtained before any communication can take place.

Gifted and Talented Education (GATE)
The district participates in the state-funded Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) Program for high ability students, grades 3-5. Students are first qualified to participate in the GATE program as a result of testing that is given to all second graders. To qualify, a student must score in the 98th and above percentile. Retesting for GATE identification may also occur for students in third through fifth grades, and students who are new to the San Ramon Valley Unified School District. This program is consciously integrated into the regular classroom curriculum. Teachers at Tassajara differentiate assignments to address the needs of all students. Appropriate activities for high ability and GATE identified students are provided in the regular classroom with some additional outside enrichment activities. Each year the staff at Tassajara Hills revises the plan to specifically address the needs of identified students. A school/parent GATE Advisory Committee helps organize our endeavors. In addition, a staff member and a parent representative serve on a district committee that focuses on the needs of the GATE student.

GATE TESTING/RETESTING, GRADES 2-5
All 2 nd grade students will be administered the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) in their classrooms during the third trimester. Students whose age-related Composite scores fall in the 98 th percentile or above are considered for the GATE program. 2nd graders who are new to the district and did not take the CogAT in their classrooms may take the CogAT in late spring.

Students in grades in 3-5 who are new to the district will have three opportunities for testing: a Saturday in October and January and a school day. The GATE office will request GATE Referral Forms for GATE testing/retesting from teachers three times throughout the school year for students in grades 3-5 who demonstrate GATE potential.

Parents may request that their 3 rd-5 th grade child be tested/retested. The parent should ask the child’s teacher to submit a GATE Referral Form to the GATE office, or they may contact the GATE office themselves. There is a $40 fee for retests.

Students who are new to the SRVUSD and were identified as “gifted” in their previous school district must meet the SRVUSD’s GATE identification criteria. Contact the school for more information.

To qualify for application to the Academic Talent Program (ATP) (grades 4-5), a student must have an age-related Composite percentile score in the 99 th percentile. Students may retest to attempt to improve their score. Contact the GATE office for more information (552 2981.).

Third through fifth grade students may not take the CogAT more than once each school year and not more than a total of three times.